


Honey and Bluebells.

by xerxezra



Category: Stardew Valley (Video Game)
Genre: F/M, Slow Burn, much later, short chapters ahoy!, smut will happen later
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-04-25
Updated: 2018-12-18
Packaged: 2019-04-27 16:59:52
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 20
Words: 37,898
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14430117
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/xerxezra/pseuds/xerxezra
Summary: One look at the doctor's lovely green eyes, and you knew you were a goner.





	1. Chapter 1

You were riding high on the excitement of freedom, starting life anew in a small village that your grandfather once called home. The farmland you inherited was nestled among a dense forest, overgrown with weeds and teeming with boulders and logs — a true testament to years of neglect. Only the rustic cabin held its ground against abandonment. The wooden walls were sturdy, the plumbing suffered minor abuse that Robin repaired before your arrival, and the small kitchen was fully functional. 

Despite being a city dweller your whole life, you took one look at the legacy left behind for your care, and immediately got to work. 

The first day was dedicated to clearing out as much rubbish from the land as possible. Robin had promised the soil was ripe for farming, and you were determined to put that theory to the test as soon as you tilled the land and got a hold of some seeds. By nightfall you were certain your fingers would fall off, and with an agonizing groan you cracked your back and fell into bed, covered head to toe in bruises and grime. Cross-fit at the gym by your old office building had nothing on this level of labor. 

The blaring of an alarm woke you up to what was perhaps the most painful soreness of your life. Wishing more than anything that you could just sleep the ache away, you steeled your resolve to fulfill Mayor Lewis’s request to meet the villagers. 

As luck would have it, you found the mayor chitchatting with the local grocer by the name of Pierre. And so your first introduction had gone pleasantly well, establishing your first business relationship with promises of excellent agricultural products. You were more than happy to line the man’s pockets with money as you stocked up on seeds and purchased painkillers and bandaids for your bruises, and Mayor Lewis prodded you to visit the clinic next door for better treatment.

The door chimed in greeting as you walked inside the quaint-looking waiting room. A young woman sat at the front desk, sitting alertly when she noticed you. 

“Maru my dear, this here is our new resident,” Mayor Lewis said as he patted your shoulder.

She offered you a friendly smile and shook your hand. “Hey there, my mom’s already mentioned you! I hope you’re liking the town so far.”

“Haven’t seen much of it yet, I’m afraid,” you said with a laugh. “Would your mom be Robin, by any chance? She’s the only other villager apart from Mayor Lewis and Pierre who I’ve met so far.”

“Yep, that’d be her. Make sure you meet my dad sometime soon; he’s a biologist who studies the plant-life around here. He could offer you useful advice for the farm.”

You thanked her for the information, eager now more than ever to meet the residents. 

“Is the good doctor in today?” Mayor Lewis interjected. “This girl’s gone at it with the tools yesterday trying to clear the farmland, and I’d like to give her a dose of Harvey’s nagging.” 

Maru laughed and told them he had stepped out for a break at the gardens. With a final wave and compliment to the woman’s gorgeous hair, you set off to meet the town’s only physician. 

Little did you know how unprepared you were.

The moment he turned as the mayor called out to him nearly made you stop dead in your tracks.

Now, you were never one to go all starry-eyed for good looking people. But those _eyes_ , so vibrantly green and kind, and what a well put-together man, with a tailored suit and carefully groomed mustache. 

You suddenly lost the ability to speak. 

“Hello, Doctor Harvey! May I introduce to you the new owner of Bluebell Farms?” Mayor Lewis enthusiastically pushed you closer, and you smiled weakly. 

Thankfully, your shyness was well met. Harvey offered a warm smile in return and held out his hand. “Pleasure to meet you, miss,” he started saying, but his attention shifted to the bandages on your hand as you shook his. “Getting a head-start in rash decisions, eh?” 

You giggled nervously while he examined the bruises. “I may have gotten a little carried away while clearing out the land…”

“Well, you’ll have your fair share of calluses in no time.” He let go of your hand and crossed his arms sternly. “But don’t overexert yourself, or else you run the risk of getting an infection in open wounds or pull a muscle from improper tool use."

“Ah, you see?” Mayor Lewis butted in. "Doctor Harvey’s nagging is the best cure in all of Pelican Town! He’ll talk your ear off till you feel like you need to live in a room with padded walls for the rest of your life.”

You stifled a hearty laugh behind your hand as the doctor shot Mayor Lewis an unamused look. “We’ll see about that,” you snickered. “I’m frightfully hardheaded when I have a goal in mind, and I intend to get my farm up and running as soon as possible!”

The old man lightly slapped you on the back. “This youthful spirit will revitalize our little town.”

“Mhm. At any rate, it seems the farm is in good hands.” Harvey's face softened as he looked at you, and you cursed the butterflies in your stomach. “It was very nice to meet you. Please stop by the clinic if you ever need anything.” 

And so your first encounter with the doctor ended, politely and professionally. 

You hoped this would be one of many meetings to come.


	2. Chapter 2

You were in love with Pelican Town.

Within a week since arriving, you managed to meet every villager and take up the daunting task of rebuilding the abandoned Community Center with the help of some strange creatures, and your crops were starting to flourish after all the hard hard work you put into the farmland. You even managed to make extra money with a bounty of grown parsnips and potatoes, some of which you happily shared with the villagers. 

Demetrius and Marnie were instrumental to your success, and you dutifully followed their advice. The scientist was kind enough to lend you several books on agriculture, and you studied them by the lake every afternoon during breaks. 

Penny and Maru were frequent companions on such occasions. You were thankful for their presence, and any worries you had about making friends in a new town quickly dissipated with their cheerful banter. 

The same could not be said for the resident grouches, Shane and George. Your first encounter with the bitter young man had drained you of all enthusiasm. Apparently, bringing up their shared employment for Joja had not been a good talking point. 

George was far more easier to handle, especially after his grandson’s advice to offer him leeks paid off in full. You weren’t sure why you wanted to befriend the old-timer. Perhaps it had something to do with your own grandfather? Regardless, your persistence chipped at his leathery heart until you were free to strike up a conversation without him shooing you off. Evelyn had taken your friendship in stride, and you quickly bonded with the sweet woman. 

You were invited into their home with a fresh bouquet of daffodils for your favorite granny before a voice from the living room made you pause. 

George was clearly in a tizzy about something, muttering and grumbling as he was wont to do. The other voice was clearly a man, and an exasperated one at that. 

You peaked around the corner and nearly squeaked when you saw Harvey. 

The doctor was performing a physical on George, instructing him to turn this way and that while ignoring the scowls shot his way. 

“George, I’ll be honest with you. You need to make some changes in your lifestyle if you want to stay healthy.” 

_That_ didn’t go over well with the old man. You sighed quietly as George became hellbent on giving a hard time. That Harvey could respond in a levelheaded manner was proof of his experience as a medical professional. 

But winning over George was a daunting challenge, so you made your presence known in an effort to help Harvey. 

“Oh!” he looked at you in surprise. “I’m sorry, but you shouldn’t be here…these check-ups are supposed to be private.”

_Nice thinking, idiot._ Cheeks hot with shame, you stammered out an apology and clutched the flowers tightly to your chest, turning on your heel to leave.

“Not so fast!” you whirled around at the commanding voice of George. “I’d like to get a second opinion from this young lady.”

Embarrassment momentarily forgotten, you straightened up to look as dignifying as one can with a bundle of daffodils. “George, listen to Harvey. He’s been your doctor for _how_ long?” 

That earned you some grumbling, but you were amused to have won the argument, and pleasantly thrilled at Harvey’s gratitude. 

“I really am sorry I intruded,” you began to say as you walked side by side, having left the flowers with George at the dining table to follow Harvey towards the clinic. 

“I’ll let it slide this time,” he teased. “Besides, it’s not every day I get to walk away from those visits feeling victorious.” 

You chuckled. “It was my pleasure. I was shocked he went with it so easily!”

“He seems to have warmed up to you, and quite soon,” Harvey glanced at you with a knowing look. “You’re doing rather well for yourself so far, I’d say.”

“Oh, it’s been pretty good.” You sighed. “Not everyone’s keen on the newcomer, but I’m planning on changing a few minds with my sunny disposition and disarming charm.” 

“I have no doubts about that,” he said with a smile. 

You were both nearing the clinic, much to your disappointment, but duty called. “Have a great day, Doctor,” you chirped, and with a final wave of your hand to Harvey, off you went to water the crops. The spring in your step was almost certainly due to the company of the handsome, illusive physician.


	3. Chapter 3

Fortune smiled down on you today. You had just entered town with yet another bag of presents when you spotted Harvey across the fence, sitting at his favored spot in the garden. 

“Good day, Harvey,” you called out to him, plopping down beside the tired-looking man. “How are you?”

“As fine as one can be during a seasonal flu outbreak and a line of patients…” He grimaced. “Sorry, I don’t mean to complain.”

“Not a problem, being the only doctor in town must get stressful. Just let me know if George ever hounds you again! Or Shane — I think I’m finally starting to get through to him...”

Harvey smirked and shook his head. “You know me too well.”

_That’s the idea._

“What’s that you’ve got lugging around?” he pointed at your rucksack, leaning heavily against the side of your leg. 

“Oh!” You fished around inside and pulled out one of many pickled parsnips. “I went a little overboard planting a bunch of these guys, so I figured I’d make some use out of them. Would you care for one?” 

“Th-that’s very kind of you, but I wouldn’t want to impose…”

“Harvey, please.” You handed him a jar. “You’d be doing me a favor by taking it! Unless you don’t like pickled things. I know it’s not to everyone’s taste.” 

“No!” he blurted out, and flushed at your shocked expression. “S-sorry, I mean, this is actually a favorite of mine. I’ll gladly take it, if it’s alright with you.” 

You flashed him a big smile. “By all means. I’m happy to have made something you like.” 

Harvey relaxed back against the bench, turning the jar in hand. “It’s like you read my mind,” he said with a chuckle. “I like this label, by the way. Did you design it?” He held the jar up, showing off a handmade stencil of a bee sitting on top of curved blue flowers, with the logo _’Bluebell Farm’_ printed in gold. 

“Yep, I’m pretty proud of it,” you said as you shifted a little closer to him. “These flowers are called bluebells, and they’re my absolute favorite. And that bee? Well, I happen to love bees! I’m hoping to raise enough funds for Robin to build me some bee houses, because I’d love to produce my own honey someday."

“Looks like you already have a vision for the farm. That’s very admirable, especially since you haven’t been here for too long.”

“Well, truth be told,” you said wistfully, “Making honey was always kind of my dream.” 

When you glanced at Harvey, you were surprised to see him looking rather morose. “I hope you will make that dream a reality here. Everyone’s rooting for you.” 

You had a sneaking suspicion that something you said had bothering him, but you were reluctant to overstep any boundaries. One step at a time, after all. “I’ve been thinking long and hard about how to make the farm a success. You see, my grandfather used it as a sort of stepping stone in his life when he needed an escape, but he ran from it in the end all the same. But there’s so much potential here, you know?”

“Even with that pesky Joja company trying to take over?” 

You scoffed. “I’ve worked for those bastards for three years, actually.” Harvey cocked an eyebrow. “I was stationed at the main office doing boring accounting nonsense. Jumped into that mess right out of college and turned into a corporate slave!”

“Is that why you came here?” At your nod, Harvey shook his head incredulously and grinned. “From desk work to farming…Well, I can’t say it’s too outlandish.”

“Certainly not! You know what my experience brings to the table?” You pointed at the pickled jar in his hand. “I can market my products like nobody’s business. Once I establish a stable revenue and upgrade my facilities, it’s over for that stupid Joja store.” 

He chuckled at your enthusiasm. “Be careful not to put Pierre out of business, too!” 

“Wouldn’t dream of it,” you assured, and paused when you saw movement in the distance. You looked past Harvey’s shoulder — a flicker of purple signaled your prey. “I’m gonna have to get going now. Sorry I talked your ear off!”

“It’s no problem, I enjoyed your company,” he said with a smile, and as you leaped up to sprint after your target, he called out, “Thank you for the pickles!”

You flashed him a thumbs up, feeling lighthearted from your conversation. This had been the longest you’d ever talked to Harvey, and you would have loved to continue if not for your mission to hand out these parsnips. So onward you went, chasing after your next victim.

“H-hey, wait! Shane! Don’t walk away faster, I got something for you!”

*

He practically threw the jar at you in disgust. Well. Pickles are definitely _not_ to everyone’s taste.


	4. Chapter 4

(done) You were going to do it.

You were going to master that stupid fishing rod, you were going to catch a stupid largemouth bass, and you were going to deliver its stupid body crushed into paste for Harvey’s nasal drip tonic. 

It wasn’t every day that a woman needed to impress a man by fishing for him, but the life of a farmer has proven to be a strange one. Besides, what could possibly be stranger than literal wizards and cave monsters? 

You got up early to tend to the crops and clear out remaining weeds, and set out to the nearby waterfall for an eventful day of failure. After an hour of cursing and exasperated groans, Linus took pity on you and offered helpful advice to catch fish. In return, you loaded up the bucket with unneeded fish as thanks for his assistance. He steadfastly refused to accept more than one measly carp. _What a sweet hobo_ , you thought. 

The moment you reeled in a largemouth bass would make you prouder than the day you graduated college. With a skip in your step and two pails of fish clutched tightly in hand, you made your way to Willy’s quaint shop by the sea. 

“I see you’ve had a mighty productive day!” he exclaimed, eyeing up the buckets that you eagerly plopped onto the counter.

“You bet, Captain! I’d like to sell all of them except this largemouth bass here; I need your advice on how to turn it into a paste.” 

“Whatever for?” Willy asked, setting aside the desired fish and grunting as he lifted your bountiful catch to put behind him. 

“Oh, you know. Just the usual gift-giving.” 

He chuckled gruffly and shook his head. “Well, I can help you descale this sucker to make your life easier. Judging by your expression, I can tell you’ve never done the gruesome stuff before.”

You wrinkled your nose in disgust. “Got that right.” 

Willy waved you over to follow him outside. You sat beside him as he worked, swinging your legs off the side of the pier and trying your best to avoid breathing in the deathly smell of chopped up fish. He was kind enough to wrap the meat in parchment paper, writing out the recipe for paste and handing you payment for your catches. 

“Thank you so much, Willy. I owe you a beer at the saloon tonight!"

The fisherman smirked, intent on taking up your offer. He handed you the emptied buckets and said his goodbyes. “You be good now, lass."

*

Making the paste was simple enough — add a little salt and water, grind up the meat into a pulp with a food processor, and voila — but removing the pungent odor clinging to your skin was another matter altogether. 

But you had little time to spare. The clinic would be closing in an hour, and you didn’t want to keep this stuff in your home overnight. You rinsed yourself off as best you could and threw on your signature overalls, gathering the paste in a container to stuff into your satchel. 

The excitement of pleasing Harvey must have made you a little too enthusiastic, so when you suddenly bursted through the doors of the clinic, you were greeted with the sound of shattering glass and Maru’s gasp of surprise. 

You quickly shut the door behind you and rushed to her side, stuttering out apologies and nervously shuffling side to side as Maru evaluated the situation. 

“The whole sample is ruined…” she muttered dejectedly and sighed. “Harvey’s going to kill me…” 

You crossed your arms at the melodrama. “He wouldn’t do that, Harvey’s an understanding guy. It was an accident, after all! In fact, I suspect he’ll appreciate the truth more so than us sweeping this under the rug.”

She closed her eyes for a moment, then resolutely nodded. “You’re right, I should just tell him the truth.” 

And speak of the devil. Harvey emerged from his office to survey the scene in confusion, greeting you once his eyes settled on you. “What happened? I heard something break.”

“I accidentally dropped one of the samples,” Maru admitted. “I’m so sorry!”

“It was my fault, really,” you pipped up. “I surprised her when I came in.” 

Harvey smiled gently. Your heart skipped a beat and you felt warmth color your cheeks, even though that smile was not for you. “Don’t worry about it, Maru. We’ll just get another one.”

She exhaled in relief, slumping down in a bow while clutching her clipboard to her chest. “Thanks for being patient with me, Doctor Harvey.” 

“Of course.” He stepped closer, placing a comforting hand on her shoulder. “You’ve been a big help around here. I don’t know what I’d do without you!”

You looked back and forth between them, suddenly feeling like the odd man out. Maru let out an airy laugh, entirely unfazed by the physical contact. You could have sworn Harvey blushed at the sound, and the way he looked at her in that moment…

You wanted to be anywhere but here right now. You, in your frumpy farmer clothing and smelling like fish, and Maru, in her pristine white uniform and gorgeous round face. How could you have been so blind? 

Lost in your worrisome thoughts, you took no notice of Maru heading to the back for a dustpan and cleaning supplies. It was only when Harvey cleared his throat and called your name that you regained your awareness. 

“You look a little pale, are you feeling okay?” he asked, the very image of a concerned, professional doctor. 

“O-Oh, I, um…” you stuttered, flushing at having been caught. “I actually stopped by to give you something!” You hurriedly took out the container and practically threw it into his hands in a bid to step away from him as fast as possible before he got a whiff of you. “Fish paste, just as the doctor ordered.”

“Wow, thank you! I never expected anyone to actually read that bulletin board…” 

You smiled despite your newfound discomfort. “It’s become a habit of mine.”

An awkward silence settled in, until Harvey seemed to remember something. “Oh! One moment, please —“ The sight of him reaching into his pocket only to take out a wallet made you want to bang your head against a wall. He held out a fistful of money, and you retreated from him with upturned hands. 

“That was a gift, Harvey! Free of charge —“

“Nonsense, you did this for me despite being so busy. It’s the least I could do!”

You reluctantly accepted the money, lest you make an even bigger fool of yourself by appearing rude. _Why won’t you let me woo you, damn it,_ you inwardly lamented. 

The walk back home was a sorrowful affair. You really should stop feeling sorry for yourself, given the fact that you might have misinterpreted the situation entirely, but you were sore and tired from a long day and disappointed in your progress with Harvey. 

At least you had an eventful day of earnings. This called for a trip to the saloon come evening. If you were feeling particularly masochistic, maybe you would hunt down Shane to join you and Willy for a beer.


	5. Chapter 5

In retrospect, you were doomed to fail from the start. 

Being a newcomer meant complete ignorance to local customs, so when you heard about the flower festival, you have absolutely no idea what you were walking into. It was the talk of the town throughout the week leading up to the big day — even Clint, the most introverted person you knew, shyly probed you for information on Emily’s date preferences for the dance. 

And therein lies the problem. The dance. 

You had no practice, not even an idea of what to expect. Could you have started practicing with the girls? Absolutely! But custom decreed that finding a dance partner was to be done the day of the festival, so you were reluctant to look like a fool by asking around in advance. Besides, there was only one man you were interested in, and the combination of nerves and fear of rejection kept you away. So without knowing if you had a dance partner, you focused your energy on hacking away at blobs and bats instead of joining the ladies at rehearsals. 

The morning of the festival was bright and lovely. Your crops were covered in shimmering water droplets, nearly ready for pickings. The sun shone overhead without a cloud in sight, and the gentle lull of woodland animals struck you with the tranquility of the surrounding forest. You stood on your porch for a minute to take in the scenery, inhaling the scent of pine and damp soil. 

The peaceful stillness of your farm soothed any worries. Today would be a good day.

After finishing early morning crop maintenance and harvesting, you retreated into your little hovel to make yourself look presentable — no need to keep up the image of a country bumpkin forever. Farm life had made you adapt your wardrobe out of necessity for practical clothing, but you still retained a few things reminiscent of your life back in the city. 

A flash of periwinkle caught your eye as you perused your closet. Perfect, you still had your favorite dress! 

You held the gown to you in front of a full-length mirror, twirling to and fro. It was entirely simple in design, yet it hugged your figure in the most flattering ways. The skirt fell past your knees in a more conservative style, but you always loved how it flowed with each twist and turn. Hopefully you wouldn’t appear too obviously intent on finding a dancing partner with this dress. 

The walk through Cindersnap Forest was equal parts soothing and stress-inducing. You desperately tried to calm your nerves and focus on the comforting warmth of the sun’s rays caressing your skin, but the image of Harvey and Maru at the clinic kept popping up in your mind’s eye. Thankfully you ran into Leah along the path, and all of your nervousness seemed to dissipate from the welcome distraction.

“You look beautiful,” Leah happily said as she linked her arm with yours. 

“Thank you, I thought I wouldn’t find anything good enough for today. Are you planning on dancing?” you asked, eyeing up her casual attire. 

Leah caught on to your glancing and cocked her head back in a full-bellied laugh. “Way to be subtle!” You snickered and squeezed her arm. “I’m still thinking about it. There was someone I had in mind, but…” 

“But?” you prompted with a raised eyebrow. “Can’t leave me hanging like that now.” 

Much to your surprise, the normally bold and brave Leah shyly looked away and nervously giggled. “Well, I just don’t think she’d be interested.”

You hummed in thought. “Secret crushes aside, I’m sure it wouldn’t hurt to ask.” 

“Maybe, but I’d rather not make a fool of myself just yet.” 

You sighed, thinking about what you’ll subject yourself to at the festival. “Now you’re making me nervous…”

“Oh?” She angled her head curiously, a sneaky grin plastered on her face. “You have someone in mind? But of course you do, with that fancy dress of yours!”

A blush unintentionally pinked your cheeks. _So much for not looking desperate._ “I-It’s not like I put too much thought into it…” _Liar_. 

The rest of the trip was spent with relentless deflections about who the mystery crushes were. Rasmodius’s tower peaked out from above the trees, and you wondered about his strange history with a green witch that you may or may not have seen during a late night excursion from the mines. Had they ever danced together in happier times? Did he ever feel lonely on days like this? 

You mentally waved away the strange thought and pretended to nod at whatever Leah was saying. 

Banners of colorful flags up ahead guided you to your destination, and you marveled at the new unexplored territory, with its secluded beach and cliffside walkway.

As the sound of lively chattering grew closer, you paused just before entering the clearing and reassured Leah that she could go without you. With a questioning backwards glance at you, she strolled on ahead, the very picture of composed grace. 

Leaning back onto a rocky wall to stare out into the open sea, you wished you could put an end to the blooming anxiety that reared its ugly head once more. You closed your eyes and pressed a hand against your chest to will away the rapid beating of your heart. _Yoba, don’t fail me now._

With one last deep exhale of breath, you steeled your nerves and soldiered on. Pierre’s stall was the first thing you saw, and you were happy to take a few minutes to peruse his wares and make small talk. 

Elliot seemed to have found Leah almost immediately, and you noted her ever so often glancing away from him. You followed her line of sight and landed on Penny and Maru, who were deep in conversation as they munched on cookies. Oh sweet Yoba, was that Harvey with them?

You quickly made a beeline for the lunch table, unwilling to face your demons just yet. Shane and Pam were far too busy with the stuffed turkey to pay you any notice, so you roped Sebastian into a conversation with you and Abigail. It was time for these nerds to stop tiptoeing around each other, and if you had to play the wingman today, you sure as heck would. 

But prolonging the inevitable was the coward’s way out, and Daddy didn’t raise a quitter. So you walked over to Robin and Demetrius for a chat — you couldn’t just storm your way across the entire field, after all — before casually joining Harvey at his side. Sure, he hardly noticed you at first, and seemed entirely preoccupied with nervously fidgeting as he looked at Maru’s back, but it was too late to turn back now.

You tapped him on the shoulder to get his attention. “Hello, Harvey!”

He turned to look at you and smoothed his hair back with a shaky hand. “Hi there, ready for the dance?”

“Well, not exactly _ready_ ,” you meekly replied. “After all, one can’t be ready without a partner…”

You wished you missed his furtive glance at Maru. “That’s very true."

“Speaking of…” You clasped your hands together and did your best to keep your voice steady. “Would you like to dance with me?” 

Harvey didn’t even try to look unsurprised, and you felt yourself wilt a little under his gawkish stare. “Oh! I’m sorry… I, er… have plans to ask someone else.” 

“Ah.” You felt your heart drop. Hopefully your face wasn’t too red from embarrassment. “Maru, right?” The poor man looked utterly frazzled as he sputtered, and you decided to take some pity on him by continuing, “I’m sure she’ll say yes. You look quite handsome, after all.”

Your compliment seemed to dumbfound him. Harvey blinked at you owlishly, a light blush dusting his cheeks. “Th-thank you…” 

If he looked any more charming, you might not survive this conversation. So you forced a smile that didn’t quite reach your eyes and curtly nodded. “Good luck, Harvey. Enjoy the dance.” 

You turned away before he could respond, walking as fast as you could to tell Mayor Lewis that the dance could proceed without you. Whether the man was hiding some sort of sympathy for you, you didn’t know, but you couldn’t quite bring yourself to look at him as he announced a thirty minute break for the couples to change into ceremonial outfits. You sought out the grandmotherly comfort of Evelyn to kill the time, learning more about flower arrangement than you’d ever thought you would. 

Then came the time for dancing. You were the only bachelorette left on the sidelines, and that stung more than you cared to admit. But you reminded yourself that you were still an outsider, and everyone had a long history with each other that you had no part in. So you stood off to the side with Clint in the far off corner of the field, wistfully admiring the gorgeous white gowns your friends were sporting. He watched on, unwaivered by your arrival and looking like a kicked dog. The pain of unrequited affection must have been that much harder for the poor blacksmith, considering how long he’d known Emily.

“No luck?” you asked him solemnly. 

He shook his head. “Didn’t even get to ask, she was paired off by the time I got here earlier. And with _Shane_ no less.” 

You scoffed halfheartedly. “I’m sure it’s not the end of the world.” And it certainly seemed so — Shane was comically stiff in movement, holding an equally uncomfortable-looking Emily at arm’s length. You silently swore to hunt her down after the festival to figure out how that match came to be. 

Clint only offered a grunt in response. You decided to leave the man alone with his stewing thoughts, and focused on the beautiful dancing instead. Try as you might, your eyes kept searching out the one couple you didn’t want to see. 

Maru and Harvey, matched perfectly with their graceful dancing and smiling faces, their movements flowing together as naturally as the swaying flowers ruffled by a gentle breeze. They looked really good together, you begrudgingly admitted. Two smart minds who thought alike, who shared similar interests, and saw each other on a regular basis. 

It struck you that you may have spent the month flirting with a man who was already _taken_ , and suddenly you felt the color drain from your face in mortification. How unbelievably rude of you to assume Maru didn’t like Harvey as much as he liked her! Maybe they were in the early stages of mutual pining, and you, the foolish newcomer, so carelessly tried to get in between them? 

What were you _doing_ anyway? You were supposed to be rebuilding your grandfather’s legacy, yet your head was clouded by some _crush_. Yes, said crush was a very attractive, kindhearted doctor, but it was time to set your priorities straight again. No more, you said to yourself. You would play the part of a good, supportive friend, and hopefully the feelings would fade away in time. 

No more unnecessary doctor’s visits for coffee deliveries, that’s for sure. 

There were mysteries to unravel in this little town. An eccentric wizard to befriend, unexplored mining levels to pillage, rebuilding neglected places, that sort of stuff. Lots of adventures to be had, lots of farming to improve, and many more friendships to strengthen. 

The determination to do good for Pelican Town lifted your spirits, and as you looked on to the dancing crowd, the pain of loneliness was just a distant flutter in your heart.


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> waow, an update? indeed it is! 
> 
> sorry this took so long. i'm in the throes of an obsession in another fandom, but i promise i will never abandon this story. i wanted to say a huge thank you to everyone for your support and encouragement. it kind of blows me away that people are interested in this. 
> 
> this chapter is a bit of an interlude to understand reader's character a little better. harvey's coming back next chapter for sure!

You had absolutely no idea what possessed you to hang out with Haley, but here you were. Maybe your subconscious was trying to beat you up for the rejection at the flower dance? Maybe you really were a masochist? It definitely explained why you still sought out Shane’s company, although he _was_ becoming a little nicer to you.

And Haley was, too. Despite your slightly sour beginnings, which consisted of her either completely ignoring you or actively judging you for your embarrassing dumpster diving when you were short on money, your tenacity finally won her over. Mostly because you discovered her soft spot for flowers, so why _wouldn’t_ you bribe your new friend with foraged daffodils? 

It quickly became apparent that Haley was a necessary friend — quick to judge, but also quick to offer ruthless advice. So here you were, laying down in the grassy field by the lake while she crouched beside you and gushed about the soft lighting scattered through the ripples of water.

“It’s like, such a perfect day for this! All the cute little froggies are out and everything’s in full bloom, and I can’t _wait_ to go to the beach later, I wonder if Alex is busy…” she droned on, and you hummed absentmindedly as you watched the clouds drift by overhead. Yet for all of Haley’s self-absorbed monologues, she couldn’t stand silent people, and jabbed you in the side with a perfectly manicured finger. “What’s your deal, huh? Laying here like a sack of potatoes. It’s _boring_!”

You winced and cast her a bemused look. “Sorry, I’ve just had a lot on my mind.” 

Haley glanced at you with a knowing smirk. “What is it, did you get robbed in the mines or something? Or is it cause you were the only bachelorette that got sidelined at the flower festival?” You covered your eyes with your forearm to hide your grimace. Leave it to Haley to be this intuitive. "I’d be, like, _super_ pissed if I were you. Especially because you actually put in effort to look good that day!”

“Thank you for the backhanded compliment, and I’m not pissed, just kind of reeling from the reality of it all. Being the new girl really…sucks.”

“Eh.” Haley fiddled with her camera’s settings. “Don’t take it personally. Lots of people in this valley have had the hots for each other for years. It’s pretty painful to watch, honestly.”

Your mind briefly wandered to moody, gruff Clint, whose heart was captivated by the town’s cheery barista. Haley probably had no idea that her sister had an admirer. 

“It wasn’t even really about putting myself out there,” you explained. No harm in spilling some half-truths. “I just wanted someone to dance with, maybe integrate myself with the town’s culture a little bit."

Haley sighed and pinched the bridge of her nose. “You city folks are so dumb sometimes. What do you think the flower festival is _for_? You don’t just dance with a random nobody, you gotta, like, pick the person you’re interested in!”

“Well I _tried_ ,” you blurted out, a slight blush dusting your cheeks at the memory. “But Harvey wasn’t interested.”

She whirled around mid shot, golden hair flying in a graceful arc around her shoulders. “ _Harvey?_ Yoba, but he’s so _old_. And that mustache —“

“I like his mustache!” you interrupted, hands rubbing your face to get rid of the growing redness. “It makes him look sophisticated. And he’s not _that_ much older than me, only nine years…”

You nearly threw your shoe at her when she retched. “ _So_ gross. But hey, you do you. I’m not really surprised he rejected you, with you running around town looking…the way you typically do."

“The way I look?"

“Hun, no offense, but you really should have come to me for some fashion advice if you wanted to impress anyone.”

You furrowed your brow. “What’s wrong with my clothes?”

She gave you a pointed look that said, _bitch please_. “Worn out overalls with a frumpy shirt and _boots_? Lets not even mention the messy bun you wear all day, every day.” Her hair flipped luxuriously as she turned with a flourish to snap another photograph. This woman really loved being dramatic. “Girl, _no_."

“But I thought I looked nice at the festival! Didn’t you say you liked my dress?”

“Yeah, yeah,” she waved a hand. “It was alright, but that’s just it — _alright_. You need to look your best all the time if you wanna get anywhere. That’s why I always look beautiful for Alex.”

Something about that superficialness did not sit well with you. “It’s the inside that counts, Haley,” you said softly. 

You couldn’t see her face, but the heartbeat of silence that followed told you all you needed to know. “ _Anyway_ ,” she countered a little forcefully. “I think we need to take a trip to the city for a shopping spree. That would be _so_ fun! I’ll even drag Emily along — Yoba knows that airhead needs a break from this town.”

Zuzu City. Your old life, filled with aimless goals and zero ambition. You promised yourself that you would only return to that concrete jungle once your farm was functional. After all, the temptation to fall back into easy secretary work was all too real, especially on days when the sun blared overhead while you tilled the soil and struggled to make ends meet. 

No, your place was here now. Most of your possessions had been sold or donated, and that included your nice clothing. But you couldn’t bring yourself to admit it to Haley. She wouldn’t understand your devotion to your new life, eager as she was to move out. 

“Changing the way I look wouldn’t help,” you explained. “I think…I think there’s something between Maru and Harvey. I was just too blind to see it.” 

“Eh?"

“I’m just the worst kind of friend,” you lamented, shaking your head. "Poor Maru had to endure my awkward flirting with Harvey, when all this time she’s probably had a thing for him."

“ _What?!_ ” Haley shrieked, turning to look at you so quickly her head might have snapped off. “What in the world are you talking about? _Maru_ and _Harvey?_ You must have missed the way Leah and Maru were staring at each other during the flower festival — I thought they’d start making out right then and there!”

“Wha — huh?” 

She slapped a hand over her face and groaned. “You really are dense, aren’t you?” 

You blinked owlishly at Haley before gasping and shooting upright into an alert position. “Sweet Yoba, are you serious? Leah _did_ mention something about liking someone, but…huh.” You fell back against the grass. “That’s an interesting development.” 

“Yep, so you can get that silly thought out of your head. Harvey’s probably just, like, super lonely, locked away in his clinic all day. Maru’s around all the time and she’s a giant nerd just like him. Can’t blame the old man, especially cause of that whole innocent nurse vibe she gives off.”

“He’s not _old_ ,” you mumbled, steadfastly choosing to ignore that last statement. “And he still likes her. So I’m not going to pester him like some kind of creep.”

“That attitude will get you nowhere! Jeez, take some initiative.”

“Ignoring you now,” you said in a sing-song voice, folding your arms behind your head and closing your eyes.

The shuttered clicking of Haley’s camera filled the silence as you breathed in the fresh air and enjoyed the spring breeze blowing softly along your tanned skin. “I wonder why everyone gets paired off according to sex during the festival,” you pipped up. 

Haley shrugged. “Just a dumb tradition, I guess. Like everything else in this town,” she mumbled.

“You really want get out of here one day, don’t you?”

“Yeah! I mean, a part of me does.” She picked at the grass beside her with a downcast expression, and it struck you just how young she looked. “Living here for so long can kinda get to you. Imagine knowing the same people for _forever_ , seeing the exact same sights every day…” 

Oh, you definitely understood. Seeing the same dingy corner deli on your way to work, the same crummy office cubicle, the same grimy bus that charted you off back home, the same tiny apartment. You couldn’t offer her the joy you felt when you moved to Pelican Town, but you _could_ offer some respite. “Well, my farm is looking pretty good these days. How’s that for a change in scenery?”

“Really?” Haley excitedly shuffled to face you, her face bright and exuberant. “I’ve been dying to see your farm for, like, _forever_! Oh, am I gonna be the first person to see it? I’m so excited! Let’s go _now_ ,” she commanded, dragging your laughing self up with surprising strength. 

And as your friend ran wild in the plowed fields of your gardens, your heart basked with pride. This was your home, the fruit of your labor. There was no greater joy in life than your work.


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> things will get more interesting from here, i promise. thanks again to all my readers, i really appreciate each and every one of you!

The end of spring’s harvest had been the blessing you needed to afford tool upgrades and remove the large boulders and tree stumps still littering your property. The stones and lumber were neatly deposited in your storage crates for later use, and you ardently spent your days installing light fixtures and scarecrows around your ever expanding crops. 

You had the junimo to thank for your good fortunes. Collecting the requested crop bundle had been a mere curiosity, an idle afterthought that you completed just for the sake of humoring yourself. After all, if you were crazy enough to be seeing little forest spirits, then maybe you were crazy enough to cater to their whims.

Rasmodius utterly insisted that you complete the junimo’s demands. The magic imbued in their souls, he said, was as ancient as the land that mortals lived on, and the gifts they bestowed upon their chosen ones rivaled those of the harvest goddess. 

You laughed it off, of course. Magic and goddesses were all myths, as far as you were concerned. Yet it was the memory of your grandfather that convinced you to take the bait. 

_You were seven years old, a tiny ball of never-ending questions propped up comfortably on your grandfather’s lap by the fireplace._

_"Grandpa, was it hard to live on a farm by yourself?” you asked._

_“Oh, I was never really alone,” he answered with animated zeal. “Sometimes, it felt like the forest itself was helping me!”_

_You giggled and thumped him lightly. “What do you mean? Trees can’t hold shovels!”_

_A deep rumbling laugh reverberated from his chest. “No dear, of course not. But there had been times where, in the dead of night, I would hear distant sounds of laughter out in the fields, and would wake up to my crops entirely harvested and ready for transport. Or a trick of the light might stray my path in the wilderness, only to discover a patch of ripened berries and leeks.”_

_“Sounds a little scary…”_

_He flicked your scrunched up nose. “Never fear the unknown, my dear. The gods watch over us all the same, and help us in their own strange ways._

He had told you many stories of bizarre occurrences while living in Pelican Town. You briefly wondered if he’d ever known Rasmodius, but the reclusive wizard was so quick to dismiss you after your short meetings that you never had the chance to ask. 

One thing was certain — this town was far more interesting than you thought it would be. Forest spirits inhabiting an abandoned building, monsters dwelling in caves, a haunting sewer drain that emitted odd noises when you hunted for leeks, it was all rather odd and exciting. 

And a welcome distraction from the banalities of everyday life. Or rather, a convenient hobby to busy oneself with when resisting the urge to visit a certain someone.

-

It was a bright and sunny morning when you stepped out onto a field of bountiful crops and blooming sunflowers, entirely perplexed by the sight. The radishes and red cabbages had only been planted yesterday, and the melons certainly had at least several more days before they were supposed to ripen! And the sunflowers had never looked so healthy before, radiating a beautiful yellow glow and standing firm against the swaying wind.

You would never look a gift horse in the mouth, but no amount of fertilizers and obsessive care could have caused this drastic growth. And the oddest part didn’t end there. Your field of multiple harvest crops — the blueberries, corn, red peppers, coffee beans, and tomatoes — were still in various stages of growth, yet looked nowhere near readiness. 

Instinct told you to ask Rasmodius. Your grandfather had been sure that these peculiar events were attributed to magic. And yet, the logical side of you still resisted. It was time to pay Demitrius a visit.

But the scientist was as elusive as ever, so you fought against all instinct of self-preservation to stop by the clinic and ask Maru where her father could be found. Your trips to Harvey had been abruptly cut short by your inability to face the man properly after being rejected. Was it childish? Certainly. Were you about to suck it up for the sake of your business? Damn right you were. 

You couldn’t come empty-handed though. The path to friendship needed to be repaired, and luckily, you had a multitude of ripe crops to entice the townsfolk with. And what better gift could you give a doctor other than organic vegetables? 

As you entered the clinic, a small part of you still hoped that you could quickly give the veggies to Maru with a hasty explanation and be on your way. Conflict resolution was never your forte’. 

“Well hello there, stranger!” Maru greeted cheekily and pointed at your basket. “Still trying to end world hunger, I see?” 

You stuck your tongue out and plopped the heavy thing on the counter. “You’re _welcome_. I just wanted to know where I might find your dad, because something really weird happened and I need his brilliance to help me understand.”

“Like what?” she asked, plucking a big melon from beneath the radishes.

“Like _this_ ,” you motioned your hand over the food. “I planted these guys only recently, and just yesterday there weren’t even any signs of growth. And yet here I am, with a huge hoard of crops that suddenly spawned overnight!"

Maru peered at you over her glasses, entirely unconvinced by your story. “Not sure he’s gonna buy it, but you’ll probably find him by the fountain.”

“Listen, I know it’s insane.”

“Probably on par with the jomino things in the community center…”

“ _Junimos_ ,” you stressed. “And trust me, I’ve seen weirder things in the mines. Abigail’s been going nuts, pestering me to take her along.” 

The two of you were lost in friendly banter when the door behind Maru opened, and your eyes caught Harvey’s as he meekly stepped out. 

“I _thought_ I heard a familiar voice,” he said, curiously looking over the bundle of goods in your basket. "Where have you been hiding? Even George was asking me about you.” 

Your heart was racing a mile a minute, and you cursed your skittishness. “I—I’ve been down in the mines a lot,” you hurriedly explained. “And chopping up trees for lumber to build a chicken coop.” 

Harvey’s mustache twitched as he smiled lightly. “Alright, but make sure not to overwork yourself. With the amount of strain you put yourself in, and with how rarely you come by these days, it really makes me worry, you know."

Worried? He was _worried_ about you?

 _Well of course he is,_ you thought to yourself. _He’s a doctor, and a caring one at that._

But you never expected his concerned nature to run so deep, especially not for a newcomer. All this time you spent in solitude must have made him imagine the worst case scenarios — either you got hurt from farming equipment, had an accident at the mines, or caught some sort of illness from neglecting your body in favor of work. 

You lowered your head, properly chastised. “Sorry for troubling you, Doctor. Can I offer to come in for a physical as recompense?”

Harvey chuckled. “That’s the best offer I’ve ever gotten. Maru will sign you in for an appointment. Don’t forget, alright?” 

“Yes, sir,” you replied with a mock salute. While Maru stood off to the side and penciled you in for Friday morning, you pushed the basket closer to Harvey. “By the way, these are for you.”

His green eyes widened as he sputtered, “ _All_ of that? You — that’s far too kind, I — this is your business!"

“You must know by now that I don’t take no for an answer,” you snickered. 

“W-well, coffee is one thing, but an entire basket of food is —“ A low gurgling rumble cut him off. 

You broke out into peels of laughter as the poor man’s face reddened to an impossible degree. Even Maru quietly giggled to herself by the computer, shaking her head as she chimed in. “It’s time for your lunch break, Doctor Harvey.” 

“I-I-I suppose it is!” he stammered out, straightening out the lapels of his coat before grabbing hold of the basket with a grunt. “My, this is heavier than I thought.” He looked at you with a softened expression. “Thank you, truly.” 

That charming, boyish smile utterly disarmed you for a moment. “Enjoy,” you weakly replied, not trusting yourself to speak coherently. 

You watched him as he went back to his office when an ‘ahem’ caught your attention.

Of course, Maru was still there! And she had witnessed your graceless interaction all the while, twirling her pencil and eyeing you with a cocked brow. “Hmm."

“Don’t ‘hmm’ me!” you countered and crossed your arms. "I know your little secret, young lady.” 

She gripped her clipboard closer to her chest. “Wh-what secret?” she squeaked out. 

“It rhymes with ‘tea’ and loves sculptures and _nerds_.”

Maru gasped, and in her frazzled state managed to drop her glasses. “Shoot,” she muttered, bending down to retrieve them. You cackled and made way for a hasty retreat, eager to have won the battle for now. 

“We’re having a talk later, you and I,” she called out before you could shut the door on her. 

What a convenient time to scamper off to find Demetrius. Your sporadic harvest would be a welcome distraction from Maru’s inevitable interrogation. 

Whether it had been due to magic or science, you were thankful regardless. After all, the way to a man’s heart is through his stomach, right?


	8. Chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> did i mention this was a slow-burn? it's a hella slow-burn.

As you sat on the pristine white cot, swinging your legs and rustling the sheet beneath you, you remembered one crucial aspect about yourself.

Medical offices made you a little antsy. 

It wasn’t a childhood fear, per se. But the smell of antiseptic, the harsh, blaring lights overhead, and the deceptively friendly-looking posters reminding patients about proper hygiene never sat well with you. And boy, did you hate getting your blood drawn. 

But this was not the time to get overwhelmed — you had bigger things to be nervous about. 

Like the fact that your doctor was entirely too handsome and friendly for your own good, and would be standing mere inches away from you while running through his tests. 

_Yoba, he’s just doing his job,_ you mentally chided yourself. _Get a grip!_

You were staring intently at a poster detailing signs of cardiovascular disease when the sound of an opening door startled you out of your reverie. 

“Sorry to keep you waiting,” Harvey said conversationally, heedless of your nervousness as he set down your medical chart on the counter and put on gloves.

“No worries,” you muttered, more so for yourself. “This is, um, this’ll be simple, right? No need to draw blood?”

“Not at all,” he reassured you with a gentle smile. “It’ll be quick and painless. Now, please hold your arm out for me.” Ah, the uncomfortable band that strangles your forearm. You sat though the discomfort for a moment while Harvey diligently checked the gauge and recorded the results. “Blood pressure is fine.”

You certainly hoped so, with the amount of heavy lifting you do on the farm. “I’m afraid you’ll be sorely disappointed, Doctor. My new lifestyle has made me healthier than I’ve ever been in my entire life. No interesting case studies for you!”

That won you a chuckle. “Believe me, I’m perfectly happy with my patients remaining as healthy as possible.”

Next came the undignified ear canal checkup, followed by Harvey getting an eyeful of your throat. Not the most romantic way to charm anyone, and by the end of it all, you were thoroughly nonplussed and put off by the clinical atmosphere. In this office, you were just a patient. Nothing more, nothing less. It was rather comforting to know that Harvey drew boundaries at work, and made it all the more easier for you to remain calm around him.

Until the dreaded stethoscope came out. 

“This’ll be the last test, so bear with me,” Harvey said as he stuck the ear plugs in and held out the metal bell, placing it against your chest. “Breathe in,” he instructed, and the instant you sucked in a large gulp of breath, it seemed to never want to leave you again.

Because you were suddenly all too aware of how close the doctor was to you, with your face level to his broad chest as his hand glided around your front. Would now be the appropriate time to notice how good he smelled? 

_Absolutely not_ , you resolutely thought, trying your hardest to clamp down the blush heating your cheeks and willing away the stammering of your heartbeat. _Please don’t notice, please don’t notice_ — 

“Hmm.” Harvey furrowed his brows and glanced at you. “Your pulse is high.”

_Wonderful_. “I’m — I’m a little nervous,” you confessed, averting your gaze from those piercing green eyes. 

“Oh! Hospitals make you nervous, huh?” You bit your lip and nodded. It _was_ one reason for your jitters, after all. “Just try and relax,” Harvey reassured. “I’m here to help.” 

“I know,” you meekly replied, and managed to tame your flustered state while he finished the checkup. 

“Well then!” He took a step back and turned away for a moment, searching out his clipboard to jot down some notes. “You seem very healthy, thankfully. Just make sure not to overwork yourself on that farm.” 

You smiled. “I wonder how many times I’ll be hearing that from you.”

“Plenty enough,” he snickered, looking back at you with narrowed eyes. “You’ll probably have to get used to these visits. A farmer’s life is filled with accidents.”

“Oh, I wouldn’t say that’s such a bad thing. Who knows, maybe you’ll cure my fear of hospitals,” you cheekily said. “With a doctor like you, anything’s possible.” 

The split second of silence that followed made you want to smack your face. Why in the world would you say such a risky thing? 

“A-anyway,” you hastily added, jumping down from the bed and smoothing out your clothes. “I’ll be going now. Enjoy the rest of your day!” 

Harvey called out your name before you were out the door. You glanced back at him, your chest fluttering at his amicable smile. “Thanks for stopping in,” he said, and your nerves dissipated as you waved him goodbye. The man was just so _pleasant_. 

You were entertaining the idea of visiting Marnie to consult her about buying her animals before Maru stopped you dead in your tracks. 

“Not so fast,” she said in a sing-song voice, crossing her arms as she blocked your way to freedom. “I believe you owe me a _chat_.”

“Yeah, yeah,” you sighed. “Lunch break?”

“Yep.” 

The two of you held off on the important stuff while you walked to the bench overlooking the river, updating each other on your achievements at the farm and Maru’s progress with her engineering projects. Once the town was out of earshot, you sat down on the bench and met her tenacious stare with an equally determined look in your eyes. 

“So, who goes first?” you asked, folding your hands neatly in your lap. 

“ _You_ , duh.” She busied herself with her lunchbox, licking her lips as she took out a sandwich. "What’s up with you? Every time you’re around Harvey, your face turns redder than red.” 

“Is it that obvious?”

“Painfully so."

“Damn.” 

Maru giggled and bit into her sandwich. “It’s kind of cute, though. Like innocent puppy love. Only Harvey would be blind enough to not notice it.” 

Blind, or willingly ignoring the signs in hopes of catching someone else’s attention? You weren’t sure of the truth, but you couldn’t consult Maru about it without revealing his affections for her. Not only would it put her in a strange position, it would also cause unnecessary tension at work. No, you couldn’t do that to her. 

“What do you think I should do?” you asked. “Be upfront and honest?”

Maru swallowed and wiped her mouth. “If you do that, he’ll probably just wuss out. I say, let him go at his own pace. The guy’s been single for so long, he probably doesn’t know what to do with himself just yet.”

She was right. Your friendship was still relatively tenuous with the doctor, and it wouldn’t do to scare him away. 

You pondered over her advice and nodded. “I guess I can do that.” 

“Listen.” Maru put her hand on your shoulder. “Harvey is a _wonderful_ man, even if he seems kind of dense sometimes. Just…don’t give up on him, okay? Something tells me he’ll need you.” 

_Need me?_ You thought about all the times you’d catch him sitting alone in the gardens or mulling over a cup of coffee in a quiet corner at the saloon, and the ungodly amount of time he spent locked away at the clinic, away from the outside world. Even his interactions with the villagers seemed to be limited to Maru and Pierre on occasion, and you wondered if he ever felt lonely or in need of closer company than what he allowed himself. 

“I’ll do my best,” you said resolutely. “Your turn now. How long have you liked Leah?”

“I-I…” Maru stammered, hiding her blush a she looked down at her half-eaten sandwich. “Not that long, but it hit me so _suddenly_ , you know? One day we’re good friends, and the next day, I can’t seem to look her in the eye without feeling all warm and fuzzy inside. We’ve bonded so much over art and science…they really go hand in hand,” she said with a slight smile. 

It warmed your heart to see your friend so happy. “Does anyone know?”

“ _No!_ And let’s keep it that way, alright? My dad would go nuts if he found out.”

You frowned. “Maru, I think you’re old enough to make these decisions for yourself.”

A look of defeat crossed her features as her shoulders slumped forward. “Yes, but…I just don’t know how he’ll handle the thought of me…liking girls.” 

Ah, that was a dilemma. You didn’t know Demetrius nearly enough to get a sense of his views on life, although his love for his daughter was evident. "You know, I’m sure Sebastian would be really understanding.” Maru shook her head at the mention of her brother, but you kept going. “You can’t face this alone forever, and this is your chance to get closer to him. I mean, come on. It’s _Sebastian_. How judgmental could he be?” 

The corner of Maru’s mouth lifted. “He _did_ have that one peculiar experience with Sam a while back…”

“Wh — I thought him and Abigail — “

“Yeah, _now_. Man, there’s a lot to fill you in on. This little town rarely keeps secrets, so get ready to fight for your privacy before Jodi and Caroline notice.” 

You scoffed and crossed your arms. “And that’s why I focus on farming. Bad enough that _you_ caught on to my disastrous attempts at flirting — I couldn’t handle everyone knowing.” 

“Don’t worry,” Maru said softly. “Everything will work out in the end. Baby steps, right?”

“Right,” you sighed.


	9. Chapter 9

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> once again, thanks to everyone for reading!

You were elbows-deep in pesky soil and overgrown shrubbery, crouching down to hunt for fresh radishes when a voice startled you out of your concentration. Holding back the yelp threatening to escape, you quickly turned to look behind you. 

It was Harvey, fidgeting nervously and sheepishly smiling from embarrassment. You didn’t know whether to leap from joy at his sudden appearance at your farm, or die from mortification at having been caught in such a dirtied state. 

“I’m so sorry, I didn’t mean to scare you,” he stammered. 

“Oh, it’s no problem,” you cheerfully replied, brushing your hands together to remove the dirt and standing up to face him. “I just didn’t expect anyone. To what do I owe the pleasure, Doctor?” 

“Well,” he paused, as if searching for the right words to say. Did he seem a little flushed? “I don’t know if you know already, but…Maru’s birthday is on Wednesday, and…and she’s been such a great help at the clinic, that I thought I’d get her something to show my appreciation.” You were feeling only a little jealous right now. Deep breaths. “The problem is, I’m not entirely sure what she likes. I know you two have gotten close, so I was wondering if you had any advice?” 

Shoving your disappointment deep inside your carefully compartmentalized emotional constipation, you forced a bright smile and soldiered on. The man made his feelings very clear during the flower festival, after all. Why would he come all the way to your farm just to see _you_?

So you decided to be a good friend, humming in thought before an idea flashed in your head. “Marnie passed on a recipe for rhubarb pie, and I happen to have some stored away from spring’s harvest. Maru loves that stuff, so if you’d like, I can bake you a pie to give to her.” 

“Th-that sounds wonderful! But I couldn’t possibly ask you to go out of your way like that."

“Nonsense, it’d be like a present from us both!” You picked up the bucket of plucked radishes and signaled Harvey to follow you to the shipping bin. “Besides, it’s no secret by now that I love giving away food.”

“Yes, that’s true,” he said with a laugh. “Thank you then, I’ll accept your pie.”

You dumped the vegetables into the bin as Harvey held the top open. “Excellent. I can bake it tomorrow and bring it to you for safe keeping.”

He nodded and gently lowered the lid. You noted with amusement that he couldn’t keep himself from looking back to the fields. “Your farm is really impressive! I never imagined you had so many crops to care for.”

“This isn’t even everything, I have a whole other section on the other side of this little forest where Robin’s been building a barn and a chicken coop. And I’ve also started working on my bee farm!” you ended excitedly, bouncing on the soles of your feet. 

“No kidding! That’s wonderful, I know how eager you were to make honey.” He…remembered? That conversation must have been weeks ago by now! You contained your surprise rather well, busying yourself with wiping the sweat off your forehead with the back of a hand. 

You suddenly had a genius idea. 

“Would you like a tour of the farm?” you asked, fully expecting him to reject the offer. Harvey was a busy man, and you never saw him idle around unless it was during a short break. 

Yet the surprises just kept coming. “I’d be honored,” he eagerly replied. “Your farm is kind of the talk of the town — everyone’s been curious to see how far it’s come along.”

You rose your eyebrows at that. It was true that you hadn’t had many people visit, but you just assumed nobody would be that interested in the first place. “I never knew that,” you admitted. “I guess I’ll start unravelling the mystique by showing you around!”

And so you brought him over to the crop field again, explaining the different partitioned plots of land for certain fruits and vegetables. It was the closest location to both your house and quaint little ponds for water refills, convenient for quick maintenance and accessibility. You fully intended to set up a sprinkler system soon, but the necessary ores for upgrades were proving to be illusive lately. 

“It must be so relaxing to have ponds right on your property,” Harvey mused with a faraway look. “If I had that luxury, I would sit by one all day and write up my medical reports.” 

“Even now you’re thinking about work!” you said with a laugh. 

“Heh, I just can’t help myself sometimes,” he replied, running a hand through his hair. 

“I don’t blame you, though. That pond over there,” you waved at the biggest water hole. “It’s my favorite. I confess that I like to do my reading right by that place on lazy days.”

You chatted amicably about the sort of reading you do — strictly agriculture and business, because reading bored you otherwise — and you discovered Harvey’s love of mystery novels and historical literature. All the while you led him down a cobblestoned path around the pond, pointing out the tappers attached to each tree. 

“I’m starting out small for now,” you said. “So far, I’ve produced maple syrup, oak resin, and pine tar. I’ll be selling the maple syrup once I figure out how to refine the taste, but the other two products can be used in fertilizer. Did you know oak resin is a necessary component of kegs?”

“I didn’t,” Harvey replied. “Will you be selling wine with your honey?”

It took you a moment to realize he was teasing you. “Sounds promising, actually,” you giggled. “Maybe the alcohol will entice my customers to buy more!”

Harvey laughed along with you. “Careful now, or else Morris will make you his second-in-command.”

You scrunched your nose in disgust. “Don’t think he hasn’t tried to pester me. I completely refuse to do business with him. Joja Corp. has damaged me enough.”

“Oh?” He glanced at you curiously. “Do you have a history with that horrible company?”

“You bet. I worked a desk job at their headquarters.” You scoffed and crossed your arms. “Biggest mistake I’ve ever made. As soon as I found out about this farm, I quit on the spot and moved here within a week.” 

“Wow. That’s quite a lifestyle change!”

You nodded. “I don’t regret a second of it.”

“I’m not much different from you, really,” Harvey admitted. “After I finished my residency, I wanted a simple, quiet life, far away from the bureaucracy of hospitals. Pelican Town has been very good to me.” 

“There’s no place like it,” you quietly agreed, lost in thought before suddenly asking, “Do you like nature?” 

“Very much so,” he said as he looked out into the fields. “It’s one of the main reasons why I’ve stayed in this town for so long. The smell of fresh air never gets old. Sometimes you want an escape from everything, you know?”

You smiled and hummed in agreement. Harvey was as much a recluse as you, it seemed. “Across the pond over there,” you pointed southward, “Is where the bee houses are. I’m sure you can see the sunflowers all the way from here.” 

“Indeed I do,” Harvey replied, holding a hand over his eyes to block out the sun. “That’s quite the impressive garden.”

“Thank you, Haley hasn’t left me alone ever since I showed it to her.” 

The westward side of your farm was flourishing with a larger field of crops, and Harvey spent a good five minutes questioning how in the world you managed to tend to the produce every single day. “Early to bed, early to rise,” you answered in a sing-song voice, and showed him the unfinished chicken coop and barn nestled among an alcove of dense trees. “Robin’s on break today, but she’s been working like a horse trying to get this done for me.”

“That woman never listens to my advice,” Harvey lamented. “Always the overachiever. So much like Maru...”

You felt a twist in your gut. The past hour had been so deceptively relaxing that you almost forgot the real reason for his visit. “Like mother, like daughter,” you said, fighting the wavering in your voice. 

The sonorous cry of cicadas and chirping birds filled in the silence while Harvey looked beyond the decrepit greenhouse, almost as though he expected more surprises. “Is there anything else beyond this forest?” he asked. 

“No. Just my grandpa’s resting place, past that copse of oak trees,” you somberly said, pointing to a discrete path winding into the thicket. 

Harvey’s expression fell, mustache drooping downwards as he looked at you sadly. “I’m sorry, I — I didn’t know.”

You shook your head and smiled reassuringly. “Don’t be sorry, I’m not upset.” You paused. “I’m actually quite happy that he’s here. It’s almost…comforting. Like he’s always watching over me.” 

“I understand,” Harvey replied. “Family is where home truly is."

You hummed in agreement. “Did you know that this farm used to belong to my grandfather?"

“Really? I had no idea! Mayor Lewis never mentioned it before, and I’ve been living here for years. All I ever knew was that this land had been abandoned a long time ago.”

“Yes, Grandpa left Pelican Town when my dad was a kid. He used to tell me so many stories about this place…” You briefly remembered all of those moments by the fireplace, and his booming laugh. “I inherited the farm when he passed away. It started out as an escape from city life, but now? Now I’m going to make this a family legacy. I can’t let all of his hard work go to waste.” 

Harvey regarded you with a calculating gaze. “You’re just what this town needs,” he said quietly, and met your questioning glance with resoluteness. “Nobody really wants to admit it, but Pelican Town has been dying. The younger generation is itching to move away, and we haven’t had any newcomers for a long time. Even people from other towns rarely stop by anymore, because there’s nothing here for them. I’ve been fortunate enough to have a business that’s necessary for folks to make the effort to come by, but the Joja store has sucked all the life out of the community.”

You saw it all firsthand. Corporate greed wormed its way into the countryside and grabbed hold of Pelican Town. Even the residents suffer from its impersonal nature, robbing Pamela and Shane of their will to make something of themselves. And the more the town decayed, the further everyone lost faith in the town’s potential. 

At what point had everything fallen apart? Did the problems stem all the way back to when your grandfather still owned the farm? 

Or did his departure trigger the eventual decline of the town?

“I won’t let that happen,” you said, the hatred you felt towards Joja Corp. reinvigorating your determination. 

“And that’s exactly why we needed someone like you.” Harvey placed a hand on your shoulder, and the physical contact jolted you out of your sour mood as you looked at him with widened eyes. “You may be young and naive, but maybe that’s what we were lacking all along. You have _vision_."

“I have so many ideas, Harvey,” you said with excitement, bunching your hands into fists. “Mayor Lewis is _crazy_ for letting things fall into disrepair. The town doesn't _need_ to be like this! It can be so much better!” 

“I look forward to seeing what you will accomplish,” he said with a smile, and the heat of his touch lingered on your skin after he removed his hand. 

That damnable blush returned, coloring your cheeks as you stammered, “I-I’m probably way in over my head. But I’ll try my best.” 

“You seem like the sort of person who succeeds in whatever you set your mind to. Just make sure not to neglect any injuries, and to always stop by if you’re not feeling well!”

“Oh, Harvey.” You lightly laughed. “Back to being a doctor.”

“It never leaves me,” he chuckled. “But I really must return to the clinic. Thank you for the wonderful tour; I can’t wait to brag about it to Pierre.”

“Anytime!” you replied, and as you led him back to the shortest path to his clinic, a pit of melancholy settled within you. It had been nice, you realized, to have someone to talk to on the farm. 

And it warmed your heart to feel his support. Maybe you’ll bring him more pickled vegetables as thanks.


	10. Chapter 10

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> wow, there's an ounce of progress in the plot this chapter? i've been waiting for this moment for so long ;w; 
> 
> thanks for reading!

The luau was set to begin in half an hour, and you were more than ready for the potluck, as well as meeting the governor. 

You planned this day to perfection, spending an inordinate amount of time in the early morning setting up the farm for a potential tour. The chicks and your brand new calf, who you affectionately named Mabel, were well-fed and happily grazing in the fields. Robin helped you set up a sprinkler system throughout the crop fields, and the last of the giant boulders had been chiseled away to create a network of cobblestoned paths around the property. All in all, it was a neat attempt at showcasing your continuous efforts to improve your farm, and you prayed to Yoba that Mayor Lewis and the governor would find your progress satisfactory. 

The biggest challenge had been educating yourself on local agricultural laws and regulations — once the initial high of excitement died down after moving in, you quickly realized that in order to succeed as a viable business, you needed to take serious initiative in understanding what made farming sustainable. You forced yourself to avoid the mines for several days to spend the evenings in deep research, and thankfully your mother was more than willing to explain the legal jargon of business over the phone. Never did you imagine having to turn to her for advice, but her experience as a bakery shop owner proved to be a useful resource. 

If you could prove to the governor that your growing farm would bring Pelican Town back to life, perhaps he would be more inclined to increase local aid. You were positive that Mayor Lewis would put that money to good use and repair the damaged bridges and buildings, and in doing so might attract more people to visit the town and start a positive feedback loop. 

But you were young and naive, as Harvey had said, so with the thought of business pushed back into your mind, you settled for picking out the best crops to throw into the potluck. Luckily, you knew about the luau far in advance at the start of the season. As such, you managed to cultivate the most picture-perfect red cabbage in existence — according to your standards, that is. Its leaves were large, plump, and vibrant purple, all due to your efforts to create the deluxe speed-gro fertilizer with your oak resin and some corals that you found on the beach. 

_Maybe I could show off this vegetable as proof of concept that my fertilizer works because of my high quality oak resin,_ you thought to yourself, and made a mental note to explore this possibility later. One thing at a time, after all. 

Your basket was loaded with the prized vegetable, as well as some red peppers for your favorite local grouch. And what kind of luau would this be, if you didn’t get a chance to enjoy the sun? 

So you fished out a bathing suit and spent a good minute posing in front of your full-length mirror. Haley could taunt your fashion sense all she wanted — your body looked _damn_ fine from tilling and mining and chopping up wood, and you were always sure to even our your tan lines by spending some time on the beach during breaks. 

All in all, you looked pretty fantastic, and topped it all off with a white summer dress that had apple prints on its full-length skirt. It was going to be a wonderful day, and you were going to impress the governor _and_ show off your impeccable produce to the townsfolk. 

You arrived just in time for the festivities, making a beeline for Mayor Lewis and a short, chubby man who you assumed was the governor. 

“Good morning, gentlemen!” you called out with a wave, throwing on your most convincing diplomatic smile. 

The mayor beckoned you over and enthusiastically launched into introductions and pleasantries, raving about your accomplishments to the governor, who seemed to be melting in the heat as he wiped down his forehead with a handkerchief. 

“My, I do hope to see Bluebell Farms after the festival,” he merrily huffed out.

“Of course, Governor. It would be my pleasure,” you smoothly replied. “Now, if you don’t mind, I need to bring over my addition to the potluck.”

“Oh my, don’t let me keep you, then! The sooner we get this going, the better — I am positively famished.” 

You made your way over to Marnie, who was chucking in chopped up vegetables into an enormous pot. “Hey there, I have a red cabbage for you,” you said, reaching into your basket to hand her the goods. 

“Thank you, dear!” She took the proffered vegetable, moving it around as she inspected it. “This looks very promising, I can’t wait to try it.”

“And I can’t wait to see what you cook up! How much longer until the soup is ready?”

“I’d say a good hour, on account of me just getting started. Jodi and Caroline still need to bring me their contributions, so you can go ahead and have some fun with your friends while I get things ready over here. I’m sure Shane will be happy to see you.”

“Yes, m’am,” you eagerly said, and as fate would have it, locked eyes with your frenemy from across a table setup. 

You sauntered over with a cocky grin and placed your basket in front of a very bemused Shane. 

“You’re blocking my way to the food,” he grunted with a full mouth, intent on pushing it away before you forced the basket back in front of him.

“Have a look — I’ve checkmated you.” 

He glimpsed inside. “Fuck,” he breathed out, fighting the urge to smile as he grabbed the bundle of red peppers. “How the hell did you know?”

“I know everything about everyone by now,” you teased. “Get ready to be my best friend, because I have a whole patch of land for red peppers and you are going to eat every single one of them.”

“You tryin’ to kill me with kindness? Is that how you’re getting back at me for being an asshole?”

“Yes.”

Shane snorted. “Bring it on, loser. I’d prefer beer once in a while, if you’re taking notes.”

You chuckled nervously. It was no secret that Shane struggled with drinking, and you were _not_ going to enable his bad habit just for the sake of friendship. What kind of friend would you be, in fact, if you gave in to his whims? 

“Where’s Jas?” you asked in a poor attempt to derail the conversation. 

Luckily, Shane was none the wiser. “I ‘unno,” he said, biting off the end of a pepper. “Penny’s taking care of her.”

Ah, Penny. You hadn’t seen her in a while, so perhaps now was a good time to say hello. “I’ll go pay them a visit,” you replied, and Shane promptly turned his back on you to gorge on his food.

 _Glutton_ , you thought to yourself as you removed your sandals to walk barefoot along the shoreline, marveling at how soft and warm the sand was between your toes. 

You found Penny and the children resting on a blanket by the water, striking up a conversation about anything and everything while Jas took to braiding your hair. 

“I wanna _swim_ already,” Vincent huffed, tugging on Penny’s sleeve.

“You know the rules,” she sternly replied. “No swimming when you’re about to eat.”

You giggled at his dramatic groan, and laughed harder still when Jas told him to quit being such a baby.

“I’m surprised you even like swimming, Vince,” you said with a glint in your eye. “Don’t you know there’s sea monsters out there?” 

“Wh-what?” Jas quietly asked from behind you, pausing her hair braiding.

Penny shot you a stern look. “There aren’t any monsters in the water, kids. You’ve got nothing to be afraid of, I promise. She’s just _kidding_."

“That’s okay, Miss Penny. I’m not scared, anyway. I’m not scared of _anything_. You know why?” Vincent spread his arms wide towards the ocean. “Cause on the other side of the sea is the Gotoro Empire, where my dad’s kicking _butt_. So if he’s not scared, then I ain’t, either!"

While Jas shyly cheered him on, you exchanged a somber look with Penny. The boy had always fiercely admired his father, but the hidden pain of his absence was palpable. Even Jodi had once confined in you about her loneliness. 

You sincerely hoped the man would return to Pelican Town one day. While the townsfolk spent their days in leisure, enjoying festivals and rural domesticity, he was sacrificing himself for your liberty. Jodi’s family deserved the _world_ for their service, and you were more than happy to help them in their time of need. 

“ _Heeey_!” 

You turned to the sudden shout. Ah, of course it’s Sam. 

You grinned at Penny’s discrete blush as he waltzed over to the group. Vincent immediately took off to mock fight with his eldest brother, yelping when Sam threw him over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes and gracelessly tossed him back onto the blanket. 

“Sup, ladies,” he greeted. “Alex and I finished setting up the volley ball net, wanna join in?”

“Oh, I can’t,” Penny replied, smoothing out her skirt over her crossed knees. “I need to watch the children…” 

“Boo. Maybe next time?” She meekly nodded, avoiding his bright smile. He turned to you. “How ‘bout you, farmer girl?”

“It’s _so on_ ,” you enthusiastically bellowed, springing up to swiftly remove your dress and throwing it over your basket. “Do you mind if I leave my stuff here, Penny?” 

You might have seen a sad look cross her face for a split moment. The poor girl really needed to take more initiative to get through to someone as dense as Sam. “Not at all, enjoy your time."

“ _Yeah, volley ball!_ ” Sam whooped and hollered, throwing his hands into the air. “Any other takers?!”

“ _Wait for me!_ ” called out a voice behind you, and _now_ you were ready to party. Leah was an absolute beast at sports. Time to fight for your right to be on her team.

-

Harvey had spent all morning avoiding the luau in favor of catching up on medical billing reports, thankful for the free time now that all the villagers were preoccupied. He might have even avoided the festival entirely if not for the fact that Maru begged him for early leave to have a taste of the potluck, and suddenly the idea of joining her at the beach seemed like a wonderful idea.

He found her admiring a spit-roasting slab of meat being tended to by Linus, smiling softly at the silly sight. “Already forgot about the potluck?” he teased, waving hello to the older man.

She wryly glanced at him. “I can’t possibly choose between the two! Man, I’ve waited for this day for so long…” 

“It’s like a late birthday party for you,” Harvey said, his gaze trailing over the halo of burgundy hair illuminated by the sunlight. 

“I suppose it is!” she replied with a laugh, and he had to reign in his happiness at having provoked the sound.

They kept their banter lighthearted and cordial. Whenever Maru was around, it ate away at his sanity to refrain from admitting his feelings, or at least giving a _hint_ of his affections for her. But now was not the time nor place. Besides, she was his employee, and many years his junior. 

And apparently, not entirely invested in the conversation, once she spotted Leah exiting Elliot’s shack. 

Maru’s face lit up as Leah waved heartily in greeting. Oh, how he wished she would look at him like that. 

_Don’t be ridiculous, they’re close friends. Of course they would be warm to each other,_ he thought. Suddenly, an idea sprung into mind. 

He was a doctor, first and foremost. It wouldn’t do to let his nurse burn from the overbearing sun hanging directly overhead. 

“M-Maru,” he said weakly, then steeled his nerves once he got her attention. “I hope you’ve applied sunscreen?”

The guilty look crossing her features said it all. “No…I’ll go borrow some from Elliot. Be right back!” And off she went, immediately sidetracked by Leah’s presence. 

Harvey sighed and turned to the ocean, taking a moment to breathe in the salty air and listen to the susurrus of rolling waves. He may not frequent the beach that often, being a luxury that he had no time for, but its presence was a relaxing afterthought. 

Relaxing, that is, until the rowdier villagers made their presence known. 

The children were merrily playing on a seating area with their teacher, Vincent enthusiastically rambling on about all of the fun activities he couldn’t wait to do while Jas begged him for a dance. Harvey chuckled quietly to himself. No matter how loud and rambunctious the duo was, he still had a soft spot for kids. 

Maru was taking her sweet time, so he spent the next few minutes chatting with Linus. The straggler rarely came by his clinic despite numerous attempts to motivate the man. No matter how many times Harvey stressed the importance of annual checkups for someone who regularly exposed himself to a harsh life, Linus steadfastly refused visits unless strictly necessary. Harvey would never judge the lifestyle, but he could certainly try making it a little easier. 

“You should at least consider getting up-to-date vaccinations,” he said with a frown, fighting the kindling of annoyance and worry at the other man’s reluctance. 

Linus scoffed, steadfastly refusing to look at Harvey as he turned the slab of meat. “I’m older than anyone in this whole village, boy. I’ve survived just fine up until this point, haven’t I? In fact, with the amount of times I’ve been sick throughout the years, I probably have an ironclad immune system by now.”

“That’s…” Harvey pinched the bridge of his nose. “That’s not how diseases work.”

“Listen. I appreciate the concern — really, I _do_. But I’m not an idiot; I reckon your clinic ain’t got enough medicine for everyone in this little town, with business being so slow and whatnot.” Harvey opened his mouth to immediately interject, but Linus held up a hand. “I’m not the one you should be wasting your time on. Why don’t you help people who _really_ need to be watched, like that farmer girl over there?”

Harvey furrowed his brows and looked at where Linus discretely pointed. 

And there you were, sitting inconspicuously with Penny and the children. You were none the wiser of his presence with your back turned to him, and Harvey could make out your laughter from where he stood. 

“Caught that loon passed out in the mines once or twice,” Linus remarked.

Harvey broke out of his momentary trance, slightly embarrassed at having been caught staring. It wasn’t like he _meant_ to watch, he was just surprised at your leisure choice of clothing! And with your hair down, too…

And then Linus’s statement smacked him back into awareness. “ _What?_ ” he blurted. “In the mines? By _herself_?"

“Yep, usually stripped of her belongings by the time I found her. Thankfully no one wants to mess with a feisty girl who swings a sword, but I guess swiping a few things from her satchel ain’t too hard.”

He couldn’t believe what he was hearing. You were going to get an absolute earful from him, as both your clinician and friend! In fact, he couldn’t help feeling slightly hurt at your blatant disregard for his warnings, as well as avoiding any checkups after these fainting spells. 

Yet just as Harvey prepared to speak with you, Maru came back with the sunscreen. “Sorry I took so long,” she puffed, slightly out of breath from sprinting.

“Not a problem,” he murmured, casting one last glance at you before taking the bottle and squirting some sunscreen on his hand. “Make sure to get your neck and ears —“

“Yes, yes,” Maru said impatiently, taking back the bottle to work on her face. 

Harvey was thankful for having worn his standard attire to the beach. It may be hot, but he secretly loathed the feeling of sunscreen sticking to his skin, so his face would suffice for the day. Maru, he noted, was an entirely different story, wearing summer shorts and a tank top in lieu of her uniform. He shyly looked away as she bent down to spread the cream on her legs, busying himself with scanning the crowd that had gathered for Marnie’s soup. 

“W-would you like me to help you with your shoulders?” he asked, cursing the slight wavering in his voice. 

“Oh! Yes, please.” She handed him the bottle and turned, patiently waiting for him.

The reality of Harvey's proposal hit him full force. 

He shouldn’t do this. What was he even _thinking?_

She was his colleague. This simple act shouldn’t mean anything more, especially with her trusting him so innocently, unaware of his true feelings. 

But his hands moved of their own accord, smearing a dollop of lotion on his palms and firmly gliding across her skin. 

_Yoba, I’ve never touched her before_ — 

Their attention briefly flickered to a loud voice yelling out to the beach about volley ball. 

Sam, standing at the foot of the blanket you were sitting on, hands cupped around his mouth. 

And you — oh — 

Summer dress tossed to the side, offering a view of your toned back, a healthy body that could only have been achieved through hard labor, the glow of your sun-kissed skin, a pert behind — 

Harvey immediately looked away in shame, praying that his blush wasn’t too noticeable. How could he think such scandalous thoughts with Maru right in front of him? It was all too much for the flustered doctor as he battled against his rattled nerves. 

" _Wait for me!_ ", came a shout behind him. Leah, eager to join the foray. 

You looked behind you, and at last he caught a glimpse of your face, eyes squinting from the harsh sun and a wide smile that suddenly made his heart race, and the moment seemed to slow as you finally noticed him — 

His hands rubbing the lotion on Maru’s shoulders — 

And your smile dropped for a fraction of a second — 

And Leah blocked Harvey's vision as she raced past him, throwing a ‘catch you later’ to Maru and grabbing hold of your forearm, swiveling you around in the other direction to drag you off to the volley ball court. 

Maru seemed to stiffen under his touch before he pulled his hands back, as though lightning had struck them both. He wasn’t quite sure what just transpired. Why had he felt so… odd, when you looked at him? Why did your smile falter? And why did Maru freeze? 

As Harvey watched your retreating form, Maru slowly turned to him, head hung low in an effort to avoid looking at him. “I need to tell you something,” she quietly said.


	11. Chapter 11

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Big thank you to my readers, and thank you thank you thank you for the comments! They literally invigorate me to keep writing, so thank you for the moral support.

Lost in the pained haziness of your mind and leaning heavily on Abigail’s shoulder as she guiltily explained to Harvey why you were covered in abrasions and hobbling on one foot, only one thought circulated through your head — 

_Wow, he looks hot when he’s peeved._

The thought was so ridiculous that you had to hold back giggles, biting your lip and letting Abigail take the brunt of his sternness. 

You shouldn’t even be having these thoughts. Not after the luau. 

“It’s my fault, Doc,” Abigail solemnly admitted. “I wanted to tag along on a mining expedition…and a bat flew into my face, so I panicked and crashed into her and — and...”

“And then I fell down a mine shaft,” you concluded. 

Harvey let out a long sigh and pinched the bridge of his nose. “I could go on and on about everything wrong with this situation, but treatment comes first."

Maru hovered nearby for Harvey’s orders, and you tried to catch her attention with a tired smile. Her eyes flashed to yours for a split second, and she offered a quick, weak smile in return, before looking away again. 

Well, that was odd. 

You didn’t have the chance to think about it any further. Harvey obstructed your vision as he approached you, and to your dumbfounded, complete and utter surprise, swooped you up into his arms with unexpected strength.

“Maru, please bring Abigail to my office,” he said, but you couldn’t see the girls take leave. You couldn’t see anything, you couldn’t _process_ anything with his chest so close to your face, close enough for you to feel the vibrations of his deep voice and smell the pleasant tang of freshly brewed coffee, or bask in the warmth radiating off of him — 

You shut down those thoughts instantly and prayed your blush would dissipate by the time you reached the examination room. 

“You will singlehandedly revive this clinic with your visits,” Harvey muttered exasperatedly, gently setting you down on a cot. 

“These things tend to happen,” you said lightly while he searched the cabinets for supplies. 

“But there’s no excuse for negligence,” Harvey firmly replied, setting down gauze pads and a bottle of antiseptic beside you. “I need to clean your wounds — please show me where you’ve been hurt. We’ll handle your foot shortly.” 

Was it your imagination, or was he actively trying to avoid eye contact? 

“I, um…I suppose I have a few abrasions on my arms,” you held them out for show, “And I have a nasty gash on my shoulder. My legs might be a bit bruised up, but since my pants are covering them, I didn’t get a look before coming here.”

Harvey nodded and promptly got to work, cleaning each and every scrape with antiseptic and removing the grime. You sat in silence and bit your lip from the stinging, but when he reached your shoulder, you couldn’t help flinching away at his rough touch. 

“I’m sorry!” You peeked at his face, mollified at seeing how distressed he looked. Harvey grabbed hold of your arm once more, far gentler this time, and carefully treated the wound. “I got a little lost in my thoughts,” he explained, staring at the cut intensely and still avoiding your eyes. “It isn’t exactly enjoyable seeing you this banged up. Especially after all the countless warnings."

“ _Such_ a worrier…”

“I wouldn’t be a good doctor otherwise.” He ducked his head and quietly added, “Or a good friend.” 

Your heart thumped in your chest. “You _are_ a good friend,” you softly said. 

This time, he risked a glance at you for a split second. The moment of silence stretched between you a little too long, as though in replacement for all that wanted to be said, yet couldn’t. 

You were friends. Nothing more, nothing less. 

The memory of his hands on Maru’s shoulders filtered through your head. 

His hands holding you close to him while carrying you to the examination room.

Harvey looked away again, clearing his throat as he finished bandaging your shoulder. “Th-thank you,” he stuttered out, and before you could reply, he quickly added, “Let’s have a look at that foot now.”

You held it out for him while he knelt down, looking up into the ceiling and grimacing as he gently removed your shoe. 

“It’s certainly swollen,” he mumbled, prodding at different areas around your ankle to gauge your reactions. 

The most unpleasant part was when he moved your foot into different positions to catalogue your range of motion. It hadn’t been _too_ terrible, but you had to bite your lip in an attempt to remain strong. 

“Well.” Harvey rose at last, tugging on the lapels of his uniform to straighten it out. “Your ankle is only sprained, thankfully. I’ll wrap it up in a compressive bandage and send you off with some spare crutches I have, and I recommend that you elevate your ankle whenever you get the chance to rest. If it continues hurting, then you can take any over-the-counter pain relievers for help.”

You nodded, secretly relieved that he hadn’t gone off on a rant about the farm. 

Oh, how wrong you were. 

Harvey placed his hands on his hips and squared his shoulders. “And don’t even _think_ of working out on the fields,” he warned with a stern look, his mustache drooping as he frowned. 

You smiled lightly. “I promise to listen to you this time.”

He narrowed his eyes. 

“Abigail will help me while I recover,” you said, holding your hands up in a placating gesture. “And once Pierre and Caroline hear about this, I’m sure they’ll do everything in their power not to let her slack off.” 

Harvey softened his expression and nodded once, seemingly satisfied with your plan. “Let me get the bandages and crutches,” he replied, briskly taking off to begin his search.

Your thoughts wandered to Maru again while he was gone. They were _both_ acting rather standoffish today. Were they bothered by what transpired at the luau? 

You sighed and shook your head. 

Childish thoughts. 

You were all _friends_. There was no need for all of this.

Harvey returned promptly and set the crutches against the cot beside you. He held up the roll of brown bandages and said, “I’ll give this to you to take home. If you ever run out, Pierre or Joja Mart —“ You scrunched your face. “— _Pierre_ carries them.”

“Got it.”

He knelt before you once more, peeling off your sock — you prayed to Yoba that your foot didn’t smell — and began wrapping the bandage firmly around the inflamed sprain. 

Silence again. 

Your head was starting to throb from this newfound aloofness. “Harvey.”

He looked up at you, eyes slightly widened from the sudden call. 

“You’re acting strange,” you stated bluntly. 

“I — I am?”

You cocked a brow at him with a knowing look. 

He averted his gaze and paused the winding bandage. “I’m sorry.” 

You waited quietly for him to continue, fighting the temptation to card your fingers through his thick, chestnut hair, so tantalizingly close to you. He quickly resumed bandaging your ankle, cutting off the end and applying clip fasteners. You rolled your foot to test the compression, pleased by its comfortable finish. 

Harvey rose and removed his glasses, rubbing his eyes with one hand as he sighed. “You fell into a mine shaft,” he deadpanned, putting his glasses back on and placing the bandage roll on the cot. 

“Yes.”

“It was dangerous.”

“Mhm.”

“You could have — you could have hit your head!”

“But I didn’t,” you gently added. 

You stared at each other. He looked oddly…pensive, eyes downcast and brows furrowed, hands clutched into fists at his sides. “Please be more careful,” he softly said. 

That quiet plea seemed to be more than just a doctor’s request. 

“I will, Harvey.” 

That resolute vow seemed to be more than just a friendly promise. 

He searched your eyes for a moment and opened his mouth as though to speak, yet prompt shut it and collected the bandage roll and your shoe. “Come on, you can wait for Abigail out front while I deal with her.”

You mechanically grabbed hold of the crutches and slid off the cot, following his lead out into the lobby. 

Two thoughts took root in your mind, and this time, you couldn’t will them away.

_What in the world just happened?_

The crutches carried your weight now — you were independent, free from anyone’s touch.

_I wish he could carry me again._


	12. Chapter 12

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> so i TOLD y'all how motivated i get by comments, right? here's yo next chapter :3
> 
> i dun goofed when someone alerted me that i posted chapter 11 twice, and when i deleted one of them, i accidentally deleted the comments before i could reply ;w; 
> 
> Madame_Pendragon4 : thank you so much for letting me know about the duplicate chapter, i had a feeling something went wrong! and i appreciate your kind words about my writing <3
> 
> 404NobodyFound : im so glad you guys are okay with it being a slow burn, i just want to make this budding relationship as realistic as possible. i mean think about it, harvey’s probably liked maru for a while, and those feelings can’t just suddenly disappear when reader comes into town. and that’s what makes his personal struggle so interesting :3 
> 
> again, thank you everyone for reading, we are finally getting to the interesting parts of the story! I’m so PUMPED to write this.

The instant Harvey left you alone in the waiting area, you clambered over to the reception desk and stared Maru down until she banged her head against the computer keyboard and turned around with an exasperated huff.

“ _Okay_ ,” she indignantly forced out. “I get it, I’m being weird.”

“And so is the Doctor.” 

“Right.” Maru leaned her weight against the counter and held her head between her hands, sighing heavily. “You’re probably going to kill me.” 

Your eyebrows nearly shot off your head at her confession. “That’s definitely the last thing I expected you to say. What in the world happened?”

“The luau happened,” she groaned. “And Harvey and that stupid sunscreen and you turning around at the worst timing possible — it’s not what it looked like, I swear.” 

You paused. “Well, not in _your_ case, at least.”

“I didn’t…I don't know why I didn’t consider —“

“Maru.” You tapped the counter until she looked at you. “We’re not in high school — _it’s okay_. You have the right to get help with sunscreen, sheesh.”

She looked away with a flustered grimace. “I wish I would have known in advance that you’d handle this so well. As it stands though, I definitely didn’t do you or Harvey any favors.”

“What do you mean?"

“I…may have…spilled the beans.”

Your heart began to race, but your poker face never wavered. “What sort of beans were spilled?”

“ _Everything_.” Maru covered her face with her hands and rushed out, "How you feel about him and how I feel about Leah and I’m _sorry_ I just panicked —“

“H-he _knows_?” you shrieked, and instantly regretted your outburst. Harvey was just a few doors down, and if he heard this conversation, then you were destined to die from embarrassment. “Oh Maru, what were you thinking? No wonder he could barely look at me!”

“I _know_ , but I couldn’t let him think I was leading him on or something!” she hissed as she straightened out her glasses. “I just can’t keep getting in the middle of you two anymore, it’s too awkward. So now Harvey knows I’m entirely uninterested in him, and knows that he has a shot with you. Hey,” she flashed a finger gun at you, “it’s really not so bad, once you think about it. In fact, _you’re welcome_.”

“You’re just a saint,” you mumbled sarcastically. How in the world could you get past this sticky situation? The last thing you ever intended was for Harvey to feel uncomfortable, and yet you failed spectacularly. 

The memory of you arduously working on fish paste and asking him to dance made you blush violently. Goodness, he probably thought you were a silly, desperate girl now. 

Fingers snapped in front of your face, ushering you out of your thoughts. “You’re overthinking this, aren’t you?” Maru asked with a smirk.

“You — y-y-you have some nerve, grinning at me like that!” you stuttered. “What am I supposed to do now?”

“…talk to him?”

You scoffed. “Right, because that will go _so_ spectacularly. The man hasn’t shown a hint of interest in me, so there’s nothing to discuss.” You sighed and ran a hand through your hair. “Maybe it’s better not to bring it up at all.”

“Uh, absolutely _not_ — “

The door clicked open, and you both promptly shut your mouths and tried to appear as though you hadn’t just spent the past few minutes discussing incredibly embarrassing things. Abigail stepped through the threshold first, hand gripping her forearm and looking every bit the chastised patient. Harvey followed soon after, his eyes falling on you, then Maru, and you could have sworn his face lost a bit of color. 

Nope, you were not dealing with this right now.

“Abigail!” you yelped, inwardly pleased that you sounded only _slightly_ hysterical. “Grab my things, servant. We have much to do at the farm!”

“Ugh,” she mumbled, dejectedly stuffing your shoes and bandages into your rucksack and swinging it over her shoulder. “Let’s go loser, we still have to tell my dad why I’ll be gone so often now.”

 _My perfect chance to escape_ , you thought to yourself, limping over to Abigail as fast as you could with as much grace as possible. 

Hobbling like a troll in front of your crush, who _knows_ about your feelings, and who was currently staring at you with an inscrutable expression. 

You prayed the summer heat would kill you before you could endure a situation like this ever again. 

“Take care of yourself,” Maru called out behind you, and you threw a quick ‘thank you for everything’ in Harvey’s general direction before you were gone in a flash, unaware of the trailing eyes watching you until the last moment, and even a heartbeat too long at the door that had cut off his sight of you.

-

With one weary glance at Maru on the way back to his office, Harvey viciously fought the urge to pull out a bottle of wine hidden away at his apartment and drink himself into a stupor.

The luau came back to haunt him once again, a painful reminder of his complete and utter ineptitude at reading situations, and the final nail in the coffin that confirmed his suspicions about his coworker. 

Maru. Helpful, kind, intelligent Maru, always by his side and offering words of wisdom.

_”Haven’t you noticed how often she comes by the clinic, or how she perks up whenever you’re around? Harvey, the answer’s been staring right at you this whole time.”_

But — but he liked — 

_”I’m in love with Leah."_

Five simple words, one simple sentence, and an instant of searing heartache that left him breathless and speechless for a while after. 

_In love_.

He never stood a chance to begin with. All of those days spent pining after his assistant, all of those secretive moments during his lonely solitude, imagining a future with happier times ahead. All meaningless.

How could he not have seen this coming? 

_Maybe I just didn’t want to see it_ , he bitterly thought to himself. 

Your report stared back at him on his desk, propped open neatly and awaiting his final commentary. 

Harvey shook his head and scrubbed at his eyes. _Get it together, you have a job to do_.

And he tried, oh how he tried. But you kept popping back into his mind at inopportune moments, such as when he jotted notes about the severity of your ankle sprain, only to briefly remember the shapely arch of your delicate foot, and then his thoughts went entirely south as he recalled your toned body in the summer sun, all aglow from the hard labor you prided yourself in — 

His hand covered his heated face. 

How _dare_ he think such inappropriate thoughts about his patient? 

Yes, you were his patient. A patient and a friend. 

Nothing more, nothing less.

_”Just give her a chance, Harvey. You really need this right now.”_

Did he? Did he need to complicate the professional barrier he maintained with you while working, or break the formal politeness of your friendship? 

Did he need to open his heart and let you see the sadness hidden deep within? The broken dreams, the heavy burden he had placed upon himself when he became the town’s doctor? 

Did he need it? Did he _want_ it?

The answer weighed down his soul with the strength of a thought that did not wish to be made known. 

_Yes_.

Only…how could he let go of his feelings for Maru, left reeling from the abrupt end to his hopes? He would not jump into anything without working through his issues first. You deserved better than that. 

Harvey closed the medical record and snuck upstairs for that wine — he deserved at least one glass.


	13. Chapter 13

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this was....so hard to write ;w; thank you to all my dear fans for reading and leaving comments, you really keep me going <3 if anyone's curious, i have a tumblr [here](https://xerxezra.tumblr.com)!

Three days of forced rest seemed like a wonderful idea in the beginning. You worked Abigail to the bone and enjoyed watching her struggle to herd Mabel back into the stables, until Shane made an appearance and dealt with your silly calf in short order. 

You’d never have imagined Abigail and Shane in the same vicinity, much less join you for a bonfire in the evening, but you weren’t complaining. 

Shane, of course, had much to complain about — such as the lack of beer. You let the crickets answer his pleas and regaled them with stories of fighting skeletons in the mines and befriending the jumino. Abigail was always a huge sucker for your tales. Shane, not so much. 

By the end of the second day, you were well and truly bored out of your mind. There was only so much reading and studying you could handle in one go. The ripe tomatoes beckoned you for pickings, and you envied Abigail severely for having the freedom to move around while you were confined to a rocking chair on your porch. 

What worried you most of all was the fact that you were slacking in collecting goods for the junimo bundles. If the season ended before you healed, then you were going to miss your chance to fulfill their requests, and subsequently miss out on their magical gifts. You had asked Abigail to deliver some crops to the community center, but she returned with a puzzled look on her face and confessed to not having seen any apple-shaped forest spirits, and didn’t want to leave the offerings lest wild animals found them first.

Were the junimos unwilling to interact with other townsfolk? It certainly seemed that way, considering the amount of times Sam and Sebastian had taken refuge in the abandoned building yet never saw any peculiar sightings. 

On the third day, you set out to visit Rasmodius to ask him about your dilemma. If anyone could assist you with deliveries, it would be him. Not that he would be particularly happy about it, but he owed you for the solar essence you brought to him from the mines. 

The instant the heavy wooden door swung open and the wizard took note of your injury, he immediately ushered you in and forced you to drink a chalky pink liquid, all the while fervently proclaiming that _you_ were the chosen one, and only you could appease the junimo. 

You rolled your eyes at his dramatics. Only Rasmodius could weasel his way out of helping you. 

You couldn’t be too cross with him, however. Your ankle had miraculously healed within minutes of drinking the potion, and so happy were you that you dove at the wizard with an ecstatic hug — he recoiled with a look of mortification — and ran all the way back home with one shoeless foot. 

Abigail was both thrilled at your swift recovery, and pissed that you didn’t take her to visit Rasmodius. You shrugged her off with a halfhearted apology, gathered the crops for the junimo, and began your journey to fulfill your duties.

But first, you needed to return the crutches and bandages. 

Did you want to face Harvey after the last encounter? You still hadn’t spoken to him about Maru’s confession, so the awkwardness still lingered on. Not that you even _wanted_ to confront him to begin with, but you couldn’t hide forever, and you couldn’t keep his medical equipment hostage. 

You dealt with the junimo first, smiling fondly as the little spirits danced around your feet when you handed over the offerings. They chirped a happy tune as they waddled away into their hut, and you felt your satchel bag grow a little heavier. You checked it to see what was inside — a hefty packet of summer seeds!

Just what you needed to get back into gear at the farm after being indisposed for so long. You thanked them profusely and hurried over to the clinic before closing time. Judging by the setting sun, Maru might have gone home by now, which meant that Harvey was finishing up at the front desk or preparing to return to his apartment. 

Before your hand could push against the door, you took a deep breath and steeled your nerves. You didn’t know what you were more worried about — Harvey’s reaction to seeing your foot fully mended, or the unavoidable awkwardness. 

You shook your head clear of your thoughts and entered. The chime of the bell signaled your arrival, and just as you predicted, Harvey was sitting at the front desk, typing away at the ancient computer. 

He perked up when he saw you, and the rate at which the expressions on his face changed as he took in your appearance lightened your mood considerably. “Oh, hello there, why — th-the crutches, your _ankle_ —“ Harvey rose in panic, confused beyond belief as he watched you walk over to him without so much as a limp.

“I didn’t plan on this happening,” you said with a guilty smile, placing the crutches on the counter and fishing out the bandages from your satchel. “I visited Rasmodius for an errand, and he ended up healing the sprain.”

Harvey leaned over the counter to look at your foot one last time, running his hand over the lower half of his face. “Who in the world is Rasmodius?” he muttered, brows deeply furrowed as though he were trying to remember the name from his list of patients.

“The wizard,” you replied, and bit your lip when Harvey’s mustache twitched in agitation. 

“You would trust a reclusive maniac over a trained medical professional?”

“N-no! It’s not that!” The shame you now felt was palpable, making your gut churn uneasily. “You _know_ I have an immense amount of respect for you. If I didn’t, I would never have come to see you in the first place.” 

Harvey stared at you with that no-nonsense look. “I want to make sure it’s really healed,” he said in a voice that brokered no argument.

You nodded and followed him to his office, twiddling your thumbs and leaning back in your seat while Harvey kneeled down to prod at the ankle, running through his standard diagnostics with a deep-set frown. 

“How’s it looking?” you asked, if only to fill the silence. 

“Hm.” He rose and leaned his hip against his desk with crossed arms. “It appears to be fine. You’re not in any pain, right?” You shook your head. “Good. I’m glad you’re feeling better, but please, err on the side of caution just in case.” 

“Yessir."

“I suppose you don’t have a reason to come around here anymore, if that wizard can do miracles.” He had said it with such light jest, and yet you couldn’t help but think there was an undercurrent of hurt somewhere in that statement.

Your brows shot up in surprise. “Don’t be silly, Harvey, of course I’ll still visit the clinic. Rasmodius turned my skin purple once — there’s no telling what he’d do to me if I relied on him for medical emergencies!"

“ _Purple?_ Dear Yoba…” 

“And I won’t tell the villagers about his magical cures. Can’t have you losing business, can we?” you said with a sly grin and a wink.

Harvey flushed and scratched the back of his neck, looking off to the side. “Y-yes, thank you.” 

That should have been your cue to leave. A natural lull in the conversation that made way for a clean escape.

But you were rooted to the spot, haunted by the need to say _something_. Anything to clear the air between you. Would it be too strange to bring up the issue right now? Would it be better to just let it die out, never spoken of, and thus never brought to reality? The questions raced through your mind with lightning speed before you sucked in a breath and resolutely decided to get it over with. 

“Harvey,” you softy called to him, feeling your heart race when he met your eyes. “Whatever was said about me, about my feelings towards you…I just want you to know that it doesn’t have to change anything.” 

A multitude of emotions crossed Harvey’s face — guilt, sadness, embarrassment — and for a moment he truly did not know what to do. Several times he had started to say something, only to stutter and shut his mouth. “I’m — I’m sorry,” he finally answered. 

“ _Sorry?_ Whatever for?” 

“Because, _oh_ , how do I put this?” He pushed himself off of the table’s edge and began pacing, staring down at the floor as he collected his thoughts. “There have been so many things on my mind lately, and I’ve had to deal with personal problems that I can’t possibly shoulder onto anyone else. It’s not that I don’t f-find you a-a-attractive — ,” he flushed, the glare of the lights against his glasses obscuring your view of his eyes. “ — but I can’t — I — there was someone —“ 

“Maru,” you finished the rambling for him, and when he whirled around to look at you, you gently smiled. “It was always rather obvious, don’t you think?”

“I…I _didn’t_ think so. I hadn’t meant to make my intentions known. Not yet at least,” he mumbled in afterthought, then realized what he had said. “I’m so sorry for even _talking_ about this! Yoba, what is wrong with me?”

“I don’t mind,” you replied evenly, carefully masking the sting of jealousy in your heart. “At any rate, it’s perfectly understandable that you need time to cope with recent developments.”

Harvey sighed as he came around the desk to plop into his chair. He stared at the files laying before him with dull resignation. “I just hope I didn’t…lead you on, or something of the sort.”

“You have always been courteous and professional, Harvey. The — ” _Pining? Wishful thinking?_ “ — fault is all on me. It’s probably a consequence of moving to an unfamiliar place, really,” you said with a light laugh. “After all, here I am, an out-of-sorts newcomer, and you’ve treated me so kindly. Maybe that’s all it was.” _And your beautiful green eyes._

He stared at you with an unreadable expression, mulling over his thoughts. “You asked me to dance with you at the flower festival,” he stated, as though it were a fact and not a horribly embarrassing memory for you. 

“I — yes,” you tentatively replied, clasping your hands in your lap to keep them from fiddling out of nervousness any further.

“…ever since then?” he softly asked. 

You might really self-combust at this point. How utterly humiliating for him to notice how long you’d been interested in him! You didn’t trust yourself to speak, merely nodding in affirmation. 

Harvey's eyes widened, and he cleared his throat as he tried to tame his blush. “That’s quite a long time,” he weakly said. Then, as if an epiphany had struck him, he looked you right in the eye and asked, “Why?”

 _Why?_

Truly, why. Because he was handsome and well-mannered? Because he was as brilliant as he was fiercely protective over his patients, and meeting a person as genuine as him had been like a breath of fresh air after the people you dealt with in Zuzu City? Because you simply enjoyed his company? 

The stream of thought came unbidden, and so lost were you in your mind that it took one look at Harvey’s stricken face to realize that you had voiced everything out loud. 

You shut your mouth promptly, but the damage was already done. The clock tick-tocked innocently in the ensuing silence. 

“At any rate,” you breathed out, quickly trying to earn back a modicum of integrity. “It was all just a passing fancy, and it needn’t be more than that. After all, we hardly know each other, right?” you finished in a lame attempt at a joke.

But it wasn’t a joke. The startling reality was that you barely knew _anything_ about him.

Harvey opened his mouth to speak, and you could tell he didn’t know whether to respond to your confession or to address your last point. “I would like to get to know you better,” he said quietly.

Oh, that should _not_ have made your cheeks light up red. “I would like that, too,” you said, matching his soft tone. “A-as friends. We’ll be very good friends, you and I.”

“Yes…good friends.” 

_Now_ was your cue to leave, lest you embarrass yourself any further. You shot out of your seat and stiffly nodded, ignoring Harvey’s incredulous expression at your sudden movement. “I’m afraid I have a lot of work left to do at the farm,” you said, and smiled in afterthought. “I have a harvest of coffee beans ready for picking. Maybe I’ll beat Gus’s coffee some day with my homemade brew.”

Harvey blinked at the change in conversation, and chuckled at your suggestion. “Careful, that’s a rather tall order.”

You giggled. “I’ll let you be the judge soon enough.”

“I look forward to it,” he replied, looking at you with a soft, easygoing expression. 

_This_ was the banter you had dearly missed the past few days. Simple, friendly, and good-natured. 

And uncomplicated.

“Have a lovely evening, Harvey,” you said on your way out, casting him one last smile before leaving. 

You proceeded to spend the rest of your day thinking about one single comment Harvey had made — 

_”It’s not that I don’t find you attractive…"_

Passing fancy. Right.


	14. Chapter 14

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> thank you for everyone's sweet comments last chapter, i'm floored by how much traction this story has been getting lately. we are slowly but surely reaching more interesting times for reader and harvey. sooooon :3

Another day, another busy workload courtesy of Harvey’s need to keep himself distracted from life’s conundrums. He idly tapped his pen as he struggled to focus on his notes, sighing when he realized he’d been re-reading the same line several times without retaining any hint of information. 

He glanced at the coffee cup perched innocently off to the side. The steam rose in wispy tendrils, beckoning him to take a sip. 

A hint of milk and three tablespoons of sugar — just how he liked it. 

Only you managed to get it right every single time, save for Gus and Emily. And with your promise to brew him some fresh, homemade coffee that you cultivated through your hard work, Harvey would probably be ruined forever. No more trips to Jojo Mart for garbage instant coffee, and no more saloon visits. 

He scoffed to himself. The pub was his only real shot at socializing these days; he couldn’t afford to give it up. 

If it hadn’t been for your daily visits to the clinic, he might truly have gone mad by now. Regardless of recent feelings coming to light, Harvey found himself unable to encourage distancing himself from you.

It would have been the kinder thing to do. What kind of man would he be to enjoy your company while thinking about another person? No, he simply could not let that happen. You deserved far better. 

That did _not_ necessarily imply, however, that he couldn’t feel ridiculously flattered. Harvey had his strong suits, but he had never considered himself attractive or desirable in any sort of way. His taste was rather old-fashioned, his hobby was outdated and boring, and he was one of the oldest bachelors in the entire town...

He pressed his fingertips to his mustache. _It’s a miracle that my facial hair didn’t send her running to begin with._

When was the last time he had even been on a date? 

Ah. Right. 

Best not dwell on that.

Harvey was in the midst of yet another moment of wandering thoughts when a knock at his office door roused him into awareness. “Come in,” he called out, busying himself with rearranging the books and papers scattered on his desk. 

Maru hesitantly opened the door, shuffling in place at the entrance as though in anticipation of a hasty retreat. “Doctor, I just wanted to ask … would it be alright for me to leave a little earlier tonight?” 

The request threw him off momentarily. Maru rarely, if ever, asked for a shorter day, and that was precisely why he felt inclined to grant it to her. “Sure,” he fervently replied. “Are you feeling unwell? I’d be happy to help, if that’s the case.”

“Oh, no,” she reassured him, and a small smile graced her lips. “I have a date, actually.” 

Harvey tried his best to school his features, ignoring the still-raw pang in his chest as he mirrored her smile. “I’m very happy for you, Maru. You may leave whenever you need to.” 

“Thank you so much, I promise it won’t be a regular thing from now on. If — if there will be other opportunities, depending on how tonight goes…” 

“I’m sure everything will be fine,” Harvey said. “Are you going anywhere special?” 

“Just an evening picnic by the river,” she replied with a wistful look before momentarily panicking. “By the way, if my dad comes looking for me, can you _please_ not mention this to him?”

He chuckled lightly and nodded. “My lips are sealed.”

“Doctor, you are a lifesaver!” Maru sighed in relief. “I’ll make it up to you in overtime.”

Harvey waved her off. “There’s no need for that. Think of it as my way of showing my appreciation for how hard you’ve been working here.” 

She tittered, “ _Someone’s_ gotta remind you to take breaks every now and then. Anyway, I won’t waste your time any longer. I’ll be out front if you need me.”

The urge to correct her ludicrous statement surged forward — _chatting with you is hardly a waste of my time_ — but he held it at bay and let her go with a curt nod. The door closed gently behind her, and in the ensuing silence permeating his office, Harvey reached out for his coffee without thought, closing his eyes and savoring the hint of sweetness infused in the bitter brew.

-

You were of the firm mindset that just because you lived in a dingy little shack, did _not_ mean you had to suffer. And with Robin’s latest renovations to your coop complete, you celebrated the occasion by planting your favorite bluebell flowers around the perimeter of the house.

They were promptly destroyed the next morning. 

Not by fairies, not by woodland creatures, no. 

By a rambunctious dog that happily trotted around your porch while Marnie apologized profusely. 

“I’m so sorry, dear,” she huffed, clutching her knees from exertion. “I tried to get that blasted dog to calm down, but she just got so excited out of nowhere!”

You uncrossed your arms and sighed with a begrudging smile. “Don’t worry about it, Marnie. I just want to know why you’ve brought her to me,” you said, reaching out to give the dog a pat. Her tongue lolled out lazily as she panted from the summer heat. 

“Well, you see, I found her sniffing near your fields several times, so I figured she was abandoned. Just look at the state of the poor thing!” Marie tutted, shaking her head.

She was right — the dog was rather skinny and mangey, her fur matted and dirty from living in the wilderness. “Maybe she ran away from the nearby town?” you suggested. 

“Possibly, but that’s an awfully far way to go for a dog! Especially when trudging through these dense thickets.”

“It’s the only thing that makes sense. I doubt anyone in Pelican Town has been harboring a secret dog.”

“Hm. Don’t doubt Shane’s love of animals.” You covered your mouth with your hand to stifle a giggle. “Oh, but I’m sure no one here could mistreat this sweet lady. Which is precisely why I’m here!”

Marnie’s shrewd smile told you everything you needed to know about her dastardly plan. “You want me to keep this dog,” you replied matter-of-factly, placing your hands on your hips. 

“Yep! Dogs are known to be incredibly useful for farms.” You glanced at the destroyed flowerbeds. “She would do a mighty fine job of protecting your cows and chickens from wild animals. And think about those pesky crows! She’d gladly chase them off your property, so you won’t need to spend your money on scarecrows anymore.”

“I actually _like_ my scarecrows, thank you very much! They’re _limited edition_ , Marnie.” 

“Oh, hush. You can’t deny that this is some sort of blessing in disguise. It must get awfully lonely sometimes, living by yourself.” 

You stared blankly at her. “Are there town meetings discussing how I’m the local spinster now?” 

“Don’t be so dramatic, dear.” 

In truth, you _did_ get lonely from time to time. The amount of work that needed to be done on a daily basis was truly staggering sometimes, keeping you hidden away at your fields until you were a tired, sweaty mess who was in desperate need of some sort of companionship. 

Perhaps this was exactly what you needed to get over a certain someone...

The dog sat at Marnie’s side while you thought, staring up at you with her soft brown eyes and wide doggy smile. Your heart might have grown five times its size in that moment. “I’ll take her,” you said, crouching down to scratch the sides of her neck. 

Marnie clapped her hands. “Wonderful! Do you have any ideas for a name?” 

You stroked the dog’s clumpy fur as you examined her for inspiration. The fur was several shades darker than your hair, a sort of burnt beige with hints of a coppery hue on her droopy ears. Perhaps Honey? Maybe Chestnut, or Amber?

Nah. Those names were too innocent for such a mischievous dog. She deserved something a little more…scoundrel-ish.

“Panini.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ya'll, i just really love paninis.


	15. Chapter 15

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> another short chapter! i was going to make this much, much longer, but i'm afraid that the new school semester is going to quickly suck the life out of me so I wanted to get at least _something_ out before my will to live disappears forever. bear with me on this journey through writer's block, friends. and once again, thank you for all of your support and kind comments. without you guys, i wouldn't have been able to get this far  <3

While the idea of owning a dog was very enticing, you quickly realized that taking care of a neglected animal brought along a whole set of problems. 

First and foremost, you needed to scrub Panini clean and get a full meal in her tummy. You pondered on what to do first as you watched her sniff around her new home. The very idea of finding ticks and fleas in Panini’s fur had you feeling squeamish, but you were a farmer now, and you needed to get used to the ickier side of owning animals. 

You decided to quickly check your fridge to see what you had available for her. _Can dogs even have human food?_ You thought to yourself as you rummaged around, checking the labels on your cans for any sort of suitable choices. _Maybe I could catch her a fish?_

Unfortunately, your pantry was severely lacking. You changed course and settled on giving the pup a good washing, which was easier said than done. Panini tried to escape the tub at all possible chances, and when she realized that resistance was futile, she sat like a hunched gargoyle as you soaped her up and looked her over for any wounds. 

It simply was not enough. You needed to take her to the vet for a proper check-up and get her vaccinated, not to mention the fact that she required food and toys and a proper bed, and perhaps most importantly, you needed to make sure she didn’t have any owners still searching for her.

Your mind was racing with a million thoughts as you perused the wares at Pierre’s shop, trying to find any useful supplies for dog care while Panini recuperated at home with a bowl of chicken scraps. In hindsight, JojaMart was probably a better choice, but you would rather be caught dead than to ever set foot in that store. 

This was how Harvey found you — entirely too preoccupied with what brand of flea treatment would work best for Panini, holding a box in each hand as you stared them down. You were oblivious to his curious gaze over your shoulder. 

“Is your cow having some problems?” 

You whirled around and clutched the medication to your chest. “Harvey!” Unexpected, yet not unwelcome. Your momentary shock dwindled away. “Maple’s doing fine. This is actually for my new dog! Marnie handed her over to me after finding her near my property."

His eyes lit up. “A _dog?_ I’m quite jealous of you; I’ve always wanted one!”

“Really?” You never considered him to be an animal lover. How much more endearing can the man get? “I’ve never owned one before, so this is all very new to me. I didn’t even consider the fact that Pelican Town doesn’t have the proper resources for me to take care of her, and I have no idea how to get her to the city for a vet appointment…” 

“You don’t have a car?”

“No, never really needed one. You know how it is with city living. And since Mayor Lewis collects my shipments every day, I didn’t think I would need a car anytime soon.”

Harvey hummed in thought while you settled on a medication brand, stuffing it into the growing bundle of items tucked into the crook of your arm. “I wouldn’t mind driving you, if you’d like,” he offered. 

To say you were surprised would be an understatement. “Why did I think nobody has a car in this town?” 

He scoffed. “Considering the fact that our bus has been out of service for so long, and we’ve only gained access to the railroad fairly recently, I would have gone insane without some sort of way out from the town once in a while.”

“So you’re _not_ a country bumpkin?” you snickered.

“Hardly.” Harvey grinned mischievously. “But it appears you’ve turned into one.” 

You pursed your lips and failed to hold back a smile. “Touché.” The weight of medicines and treats in your arm reminded you of Harvey’s offer. “Thank you, by the way. I’m just concerned about ruining your interior — I don’t have a crate for her, and I don’t know how she’ll react to being inside a car.”

He shrugged. “We can set up some blankets in the back seat, so it shouldn’t be a problem.”

“My, you’re very convincing today.” You checked over your list of items to make sure you had everything you needed, redistributed the weight in your arms, and gestured for Harvey to follow you to the register. “I’m under the impression that this is all a clever attempt to meet my dog.” 

“You caught me,” he said with a laugh, and as though a hammer of realization struck him, pointed at your full arms with a sheepish look. “Can I help you with that?” 

“I got it, thanks.” 

Pierre raised an eyebrow at the unusual purchases as he began to ring up your sale. “Cow problems?” he droned.

“Dog problems,” you replied, grinning at his shocked expression. “Don’t worry, I’ll bring her over for a visit to bring up your spirits!” 

“You most certainly will _not_.”

Harvey pipped up, “Pierre has a whole slew of allergies, especially towards animals.”

“Boo.” You paid for your items and swiped up the shopping bag, making way for Harvey to purchase — glue? “Is that for your office?” you asked him brazenly. 

His easygoing demeanor faltered for a moment, thrown off by your question. “Ah, no, that’s for…a hobby of mine,” he replied, scratching the nape of his neck. 

You were tempted to pester him for more information — after all, how often did you get the chance to learn about Harvey — but Pierre finished ringing him up, and it was time to leave the store. The two of you stopped in front of his clinic to discuss plans. “So, when are you free to make that trip?” 

“Today is my day off, actually. We can go whenever you’ve settled your business, if that works for you.”

“Oh Harvey, I feel terrible taking up your free time like this.” 

“Nonsense! I didn’t have much to do anyway. And besides, it’s like you said —” He smirked, his mustache quirking up to the side. “— I’d very much like to meet your new friend.” 

You returned his smile shyly. “She will be just as eager to meet you, too. I’ll go drop off my things and meet you here in an hour.”

He nodded. “That’s fine. Oh! I can’t believe I hadn’t asked this earlier — have you thought of a name for her yet?”

“Yep! It’s Panini.”

“…” 

You giggled and returned his confused stare with resoluteness. “I really, _really_ love chicken parmesan paninis. In fact, I feel hungry just thinking about them now.” 

“Well, let’s hope that dog doesn’t look good enough to eat…”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i really love chicken parmesan paninis, ya'll.


	16. Chapter 16

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yet another chapter that I wanted to make longer, but writer’s block forced me to chop it off until my brain recuperates. Hopefully this is good enough!
> 
> If anyone wants to know what song I listen to literally 90% of the time as I write these chapters, it’s Mystery of Love - Sufjan Stevens. Thanks for reading and thank you for all the lovely comments and support <3

You were in the midst of struggling to give Panini one last bath before you realized that you were about to spend an entire day with Harvey. The prospect was equal parts exciting and nerve-wracking — the two of you hadn’t had the chance to enjoy each other’s company for an extended period of time, considering how demanding your jobs were. And, of course, the revelation that you had feelings for him certainly had not helped the situation, but you were determined to move past that. 

And what better way to avoid any lingering sense of awkwardness than to have an adorable, friendly dog to act as your wing-woman? 

“You’re going to be an absolute angel for Harvey, aren’t you?” you cooed at Panini as you scrubbed her fur. “No ridiculous amount of drooling in the car, got it?” 

After toweling her down, you left Panini in search of a makeshift leash. You eventually stumbled upon a bundle of rope that you carefully cut up and tied around her neck in a comfortable loop. By the time all was said and done, you packed your satchel with a clean towel, a water bottle and bowl in case Panini got thirsty during the trip, and went off to the clinic with no small amount of enthusiasm. 

Pelican Town was a comforting safe haven for you now, but you were starting to get a little stir crazy after being accustomed to the grandiosity of city life. This little trip was just what you needed to feel reinvigorated once again. 

You spotted Harvey in the distance as he stepped out of the clinic and turned to lock the door. Panini trailed ahead of you, pulling on her leash as she sniffed the cobblestoned road and nibbled on blades of grass. 

It had been a mistake to call out to him. The instant Harvey noticed you and returned your greeting with a wave of his hand, Panini’s head shot up like an antenna, and within a split second, bolted out of your grasp towards Harvey as you yelped in shock.

“Panini, no!” you shrieked, launching into the fastest sprint of your life in a fruitless effort to keep her from committing mischief. “Bad girl, Panini! _Get back here!_ ”

Your cries fell on deaf ears. A multitude of disastrous outcomes cycled through your head before you skidded to a halt and watched Panini jump into Harvey’s open arms, your stress dissipating in an instant as he doubled back in laughter under the weight of your dog’s bulky body. 

“What a sweet girl!” Harvey huffed out, twisting away from her enthusiastic licks while petting her like his life depended on it. 

Have you ever seen such unbridled joy on his face? Your heart skipped a beat at his wide smile, momentarily thrown off by how _young_ he looked. 

“That’s Panini for you,” you weakly said, grabbing hold of the leash and easing her away from the poor man as he wiped off dirt from his clothing. “I’m so sorry about that, Harvey.” 

“Don’t be sorry — this was the reaction I was hoping for!” He straightened out his tie and bent down to stroke her back, taking the opportunity to examine her condition. “Quite skinny, isn’t she? And her fur is a bit patchy in some places…”

“Yes, there’s no telling how long she’s been out in the wilderness. I got some food in her belly and washed her up as best I could.”

He nodded and straightened back up, fixing his glasses into place as he pointed a thumb over his shoulder. “The car is parked across the main road. I don’t know if you’ve done much research into vets around the area, but I’m good friends with a colleague two towns over who said he’d be glad to take a look at her.”

“Thank you so much,” you sighed with a slight bow, relief palpable in your voice. “I was hoping you would know someone trustworthy.” The two of you casually strolled past the garden as you spoke, watching Panini in amusement while she honed in on a passing butterfly. “It must be quite useful to know so many people from different specialties.”

“Of course. It’s all about referrals these days. Although, as a doctor who only specializes in general care, I suppose I’m getting the short end of the stick.”

“Don’t sell yourself short like that — everyone greatly appreciates what you do for us here.”

“Thank you.” He sighed and looked away. "I just wish there were more patients around, you see…but that’s neither here nor there. I shouldn’t be bothering you about my personal affairs.”

You glanced at him from the corner of your eye, curious to see what kind of expression he was sporting. A far-off, melancholy gaze dulled the vibrant green of his eyes, and you couldn’t help the heaviness that settled over the pit of your stomach, knowing he was going through hard times. “I really don’t mind, you know.” Harvey met your steadfast look. “You can rely on —“ _Me._ “— others for support. If you need to vent over a good steak and a bottle of wine, you know where to find me.”

The silence stretched between you a tad too long as he searched your eyes, until the moment was abruptly broken when Panini barked at a squirrel and tugged you with her as she tried to catch the little creature. Harvey caught you by your upper arm before you could tumble toward, helping you right yourself while you scolded Panini.

“Feisty little lady,” he said with amusement, and you huffed in agreement. “And really — steak? Don’t tell me you’re fed up with your calf already.”

You scandalized look was enough to send him into a fit of muffled laughter. “Absolutely _not_. Mabel is the biggest sweetheart there is! I wonder how she’d get along with Panini, come to think of it. So many… _interesting_ possibilities.” 

“You’ll have to let me know how it goes.”

“Well, either we will all become one happy family, or that steak dinner might become a reality…” 

You took extra care in crossing the road with your dog, quickly trailing after Harvey to the other side before any cars passed through. Not that anyone typically did, especially with the broken shuttle bus taking up most of the road. 

“Is it true that Pam used to drive that bus?” you asked, looking over your shoulder and eyeing the slightly dilapidated vehicle.

“Yeah. It’s been a while though; there’s no telling when that thing will be repaired. Rather unfortunate, really. She was…happier back then.” 

You bit your lip in contemplation. It was no secret that Pam’s drinking habit stemmed from a darker place within her heart, bitter from working long hours at Joja Mart and living day by day in perpetual unrest. And poor Penny suffered all the more for it, too. Several times you had found the young girl hidden away under a tree in Cindersap Forest or surrounding herself with friends and the children, content to stay silent yet in desperate need of warm attention that Pam struggled to bestow. 

"Life in Pelican Town is difficult,” you remarked absentmindedly. Maybe you could find some way to fund the bus’s repairs? Surely you could persuade Mayor Lewis, or hint to the governor during the next festival he will attend. Or, perhaps, the junimo…

“It’s been pretty rough lately,” Harvey said, breaking your train of thought. “But hopefully your farm’s success will bring pleasant surprises.” 

You grinned at the mention of your beloved farm. “Oh, it definitely brings me _many_ surprises from time to time. Like this cutie over here,” you patted Panini’s butt, and she looked back at you with her tongue lolling out the side of her mouth in a happy smile. 

Harvey leaned down to pet her while you passed through a clearing in the forest, and you took note of the cars lined up in neat order in the lot — a small buggy hidden by the overpowering presence of an old truck parked next to it, and three modern vehicles of various colors standing near the entrance. 

A silver car chirped to life as Harvey pressed the button on his key. He motioned you over and opened the back door, taking hold of Panini’s leash while you dug into your rucksack to lay out the blankets along the seats.

“I could have sworn your car would have been green,” you grunted as you climbed further in to adjust the corners of a blanket. Hopefully the poor man was not getting an eyeful of your behind. “I’m a little disappointed, actually.” 

You heard Harvey chuckle behind you. “I do have _some_ sense of taste.” 

“Hey, you wouldn’t find me complaining.” You righted your clothing and sat down, patting the seat next to you for Panini to hop inside. “Come on, girl!” Panini followed in short order, sniffing the stuffy air of the interior while you stroked her fur to get her to sit. 

“Are you sure you don’t want to sit in the front?” Harvey asked, handing over the dog leash back to you.

“That’s alright. I want to keep her company in case she gets scared during the ride. If there’s one thing I know about dogs, it’s that they can drool up an ocean when they’re nervous.” 

He nodded and gently closed the door. You cooed at Panini to relax while Harvey came around to get into the driver’s seat, and wrapped your arm around her body as the car jostled over the rocky path on the way out into the main road. 

“How’s she doing back there?” 

You met Harvey’s eyes through the rear-view mirror and smiled. “She’s staring out the window in disbelief. No drool yet, I’m happy to report.”

“Good,” he said with a chuckle. “We should be there in around half an hour.”

“What’s the name of the town?”

“Sparrow Town.”

Your mouth stretched into an unamused grimace. “Can I assume there’s a community named after an owl somewhere nearby?” 

“I kind of like the theme,” Harvey admitted with a smile in his voice. “It’s a way of connecting us all together.”

You couldn’t argue with that. 

A peaceful silence settled over you both, and you entertained yourself by watching the scenery outside. You had long since passed the familiar tunnel that once signaled your arrival to your new home. The towering oaks and pine trees lined the narrow highway like pillars of the Earth, stretching high into the cloudless blue sky. The familiar smell of petrichor, uprooted from the damp soil by recent rainfall, permeated throughout the car and lulled you into serene tranquility. You closed your eyes and leaned your head back, letting your mind wander as images of junimos prancing around your farmland appeared behind your eyelids, the sound of wispy laughter rung in your ears, and a blanket of green strands curtained around you as you looked up into a kind face, featureless yet so warm and inviting — _hello my child_ — 

You opened your eyes. That was a little odd.

The familiar feeling of Panini’s coarse fur between your fingers grounded your awareness as you rubbed at your bleary eyes. The back of Harvey’s prone figure appeared in your central vision, and you took a private moment to admire the sloping waves of his chestnut hair — _how could it look so disheveled yet intentional at the same time?_ — and the roundness of his cheek contrasting with the sharpness of his jawline — 

_Yoba, please cleanse me of my thoughts._

Your mind was leading you to strange places. Maybe it was time to speak up and concentrate on more productive matters. 

“I think I should have brought some flyers to let people know that Panini has been found,” you said. 

“Would you really want to return her to an irresponsible owner who let her run away in the first place?” You could practically _feel_ his mustache turned down in consternation. 

“Well, we can’t know the circumstances. What if it had been an accident?” You scratched Panini under her chin and smiled at her blissful expression. “What if she’s really missed?” 

Harvey paused for a moment before acquiescing. “You might be right. We'll fax over a flyer to the vet some other time. He can put it up in his office or let people know by word of mouth.” 

You nodded and relaxed into the seat once again, feeling the weight of your guilt diminish slightly. Panini shuffled over closer to you and laid down, resting her head on your lap while you ran your fingers through her fur. “I guess I could also mention her on my website,” you remarked, watching the dense forest gradually dissipate to reveal the vibrant rolling hills of Stardew Valley. 

“I didn’t know you had a website,” Harvey replied with a hint of surprise. “Is it for the farm?”

“Yes, I share my updates on farm life in the blog section. Haley actually gave me the idea; she said it will help me build a presence online and get loyal customers. Sebastian was kind enough to make it for me after I coerced him with enough pumpkin soup.” 

“Even if no owner is found, I’m sure Panini’s charming face will win you a lot of fans,” he chuckled. 

“No doubt about it — Haley’s already been putting her hobby to good use with my gardens, so I can’t imagine what she’ll do with the dog. I’m starting to think her suggestion was just a clever rouse to show off her photography skills.”

“It’s a win-win for everyone.” Harvey glanced at the digital clock on the dashboard. “We should be there in a few minutes. The vet’s name is Charles, by the way. Forgot to mention that.” 

“How do you know him?”

“He’s visited our town a few times to examine Marnie’s animals. Before you arrived, that is,” he added, noticing your confused expression through the rear-view mirror. “We bonded over drinks at the saloon."

“I’ll have to ask Charles about his services for my animals as well, then! Good to know there is a specialist nearby in case of emergencies.” 

Harvey shook his head. “You worry more about _them_ than you do about yourself. It’s good that _I’m_ within walking distance from the mines and the farm.”

A warm feeling blossomed in your chest, and you found yourself smiling as you looked away. 

Good indeed. 

Panini jolted awake when the car drove over a rickety bridge, sitting up to look outside the window. You joined her in her sightseeing, marveling at the narrow river winding down below and off behind a steep cliff. 

“There’s a waterfall nearby,” Harvey remarked. “A lot taller than ours, but just as beautiful.” 

You wondered if he had gone there himself, or perhaps with someone else. But the question died on your tongue; it was not your place to ask something so personal. 

Luckily, the town’s entrance appeared shortly after crossing the bridge. The difference between Sparrow Town and Pelican Town was readily apparent — the streets were wide and accommodating for vehicles, there were many bustling storefronts and residents walking around on this fine day, and everything was refreshingly maintained. The sidewalks were lined with intricate cobblestone patterns, and blooming trees lined the boulevards, their drooping branches offering low-hanging fruit. 

It was a fairytale. It was everything you hoped your home would one day become. 

Your mouth opened before you could hold back your thoughts. “Could we take a walk after the vet visit?” You sucked in a breath shortly after realizing how presumptuous you sounded. “T-to, um, to find a pet store nearby, maybe. We don’t have to if you’re short on time, of course. Silly of me to ask so suddenly...”

“Not silly at all; I’m very open to the idea. I did tell you I had nothing else to do today.” 

“Right,” you nervously chuckled, fiddling with the strap of your rucksack. 

The prospect of spending the day with Harvey made you a little happier than you were willing to admit.


	17. Chapter 17

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> guys, getting a doctorate kinda sucks. i lost a lot of motivation to write and struggled with severe writer's block for this chapter, and i'm not too happy with the finished product. i'm sorry i kept you guys waiting so long, i hope this chapter won't be too boring! thank you for sticking around, i love you all for your wonderful words of encouragement <3  
> (i didn't edit this before posting it because i just want to get this out darn it, forgive me for any mistakes or awkward sentences)

The veterinary clinic was a quaint little building adorned in a twisted lattice of flowering vines and sporting the same old-fashioned architecture that seemed popular throughout the town. You took a moment to enjoy the dry heat as you stepped out of the car with your dog in tow, noticing the weather’s sharp contrast to Pelican Town’s cooler oceanic breeze. You nearly brought it up with Harvey until you realized how gauche it would be to mention the _weather_ , of all things. 

Fortunately for you, an awkward silence need not persist. Harvey pointed to a small cafe down the street while you rounded the clinic, raving about their delicious coffee and imported scones — _you’ll never find a better quality grain, not even at Gus’s saloon!_ — and you were transported back to your parents’ bakery, the wonderful smell of dough wafting through the air while you learned to crack eggs as a child.

The wait to see the vet was mercifully short, on account of there being one other person in line ahead of you. You smiled at the green parrot perched on its owner’s fingers and willed away the anxiety building up in your gut. What if Panini was worse than you had noticed? Could you even afford an expensive bill if she required treatment? 

You placed a hand atop Panini’s head as she sat between you and Harvey. Your melancholic mood did not go unnoticed. “Everything alright?” Harvey asked.

“Yeah,” you hesitantly replied, except you both knew that was a blatant lie, and lying to him did not sit well with you. “I’m just worried about Panini, is all. And whether or not I’d be able to meet her demands.”

“Being responsible for an animal is not an easy decision to make,” he said in agreement. “But Charles is a great vet, with many resources at his disposal should something go wrong. Everything will be okay."

You nodded and resolved to trust his words. 

Within minutes, you had been called into the office with your dog in tow. The vet appeared moments later, a broad-set man with a ginger beard and a kind smile that dispelled your worries immediately. 

“Good afternoon!” he beamed, holding out a hand to you, and then to Harvey. “It’s been quite some time, hasn’t it, Doctor? Who is this lovely lady friend of yours?”

You quickly introduced yourself to spare Harvey from stammering in embarrassment. “I moved into town in the spring. This here’s Panini.” You offered scritches under her chin as her tail banged against the top of the examination table. “Found her on my farm and decided to keep her, if no one else reclaims her.”

“She’s a fine looking dog, she is!” You moved out of the way for Charles to step closer, running his hands along the nape of her neck to cradle her head as he began his examination. “You be good now,” he said to her. “We have treats for good dogs when all’s done and over with.” 

And treats did she receive. Panini munched away at some bacon-flavored biscuits while Charles debriefed you on her condition. Much to your relief, she was in relatively stable shape. Nothing a few rounds of treatment wouldn’t fix, he had assured you, and after a brief exchange between him and Harvey, you were off to enjoy the rest of the day. 

“Shall we stop by that cafe before finding a pharmacy?” Harvey suggested.

Your stomach answered for you with a low grumble. You slapped a hand over it shyly. “Let’s hope they allow dogs…”

-

Panini’s leash was secured to a metal railing as you settled into the outdoor seating area. The waitress offered a customary water bowl and promptly took your orders. You peeked around to see the various desserts and light lunches atop other customers’ tables, admiring the rustic design of the cafe.

“It’s really relaxing here, isn’t it?” Harvey cheerily said, thanking the waitress as she returned with coffee and chocolate-filled scones. 

You poured a nice heap of milk and sugar into your drink. “Yes, I love places like this! When I still lived in the city, there was a cafe near my job that memorized my order, that’s how often I went there.” You hummed as you cupped your coffee mug. “A cafe latte and a pumpkin pie topped whipped cream. Not as good as I’m used to, but still pretty delicious!” 

“‘ _Used to,_ ’ eh?” He tore a piece off of his scone and popped it into his mouth. “I guess you’re a connoisseur of desserts. Give these a try, you won’t regret it!” 

And so you did, lifting up your scone with a raised eyebrow as you noted its lukewarm temperature and weak chocolatey smell. You bit into the middle to catch some of the melted chocolate inside. Harvey eyed you expectantly and chased down his scone with a gulp of coffee. 

You licked away stray crumbs and delivered your verdict. “Hm.” 

“You don’t like it?” he asked with mild surprise. 

You haughtily stared down at the offending pastry and picked at the crust as you replied, “My dad makes them better.”

“Oh my, I can see why this was a hard sell to you. Nothing beats a home cooked meal.” 

“My parents own a bakery, actually. Dad makes the magic happen, and Mom handles the business side of things. They’re quite the power couple,” you tittered, wolfing down the scone because you would never leave any dessert unfinished.

“A family business! If you don’t mind me asking, why go into farming then?” 

You shrugged and traced the rim of your mug. “I’d be lying if I said I never considered it. I spent a lot of my childhood helping them out, so I know how everything works. But I just wasn’t passionate about it, you know? I love cooking, but I couldn’t see myself doing it as a career.” 

He nodded. “I suppose you’re not too far off from what they do, though. Your farm is the first step of the food chain, so to speak.”

“Yep, Dad’s been hounding me for fresh produce like there’s no tomorrow. It’s pretty appealing for business when you can confidently say you purchase exclusively from local organic farms.” You slipped Panini the chocolate-free portion of your pastry. “And what about you, Doctor? I know how medicine works — birds of a feather flock together.”

“You guessed correctly,” Harvey said. “My mother is a podiatrist, and my brother has a specialization in sports medicine. My father’s more of the scholarly sort.” 

“Wow, that is quite the pedigree.”

“Yeah,” he meekly replied, staring down into his nearly empty mug. “Lots of expectations.”

Oh, you were definitely not digging into that can of worms, judging by the imperceptible shift in mood. “You know, there’s one thing you have that your family doesn’t.” 

Harvey tilted his head. “What’s that?”

“An endless supply of pickles, courtesy of me!” 

His wonderful laugh had you grinning in victory.

-

After your fitful meal, Harvey suggested taking a walk to work off the calories, and you were more than happy to stretch out your legs. You passed all sorts of mom-and-pop bookstores and bakeries, organic marketplaces and a waffle food truck, all the while enjoying the warmth of the afternoon sun along your skin. With Panini’s leash held firmly in Harvey’s hand as he kept her at bay from the various sights and smells around you, you quickly dipped into a pet store to buy the vet’s recommended items. A bag of beef-flavored treats was stashed away towards the bottom of your bag for later — you did not want your silly girl to get too excited just yet.

The instinctual attraction to nature guided you towards a lively park filled with dense maple trees and carefully maintained flower beds. It reminded you of the small garden by the community center at home. Talks of similarities between the two towns spiraled into a discussion about Pelican Town as a whole, and Harvey guided you to sit in front of a gushing fountain as you took a break. 

“I heard it started as a fishing town,” he explained. “It’s strategically facing the Gotoro Empire, and the town flourished at the height of our alliance many years ago. But diplomatic relations started to sour, so the port was gradually diminished for local use, and attentions turned to the mines.”

“But even that didn’t work out, did it?” you added, knowing how the tale ended. Marlon and Gil had once gotten carried away with their storytelling after being pleased with your progress, recounting the Guild’s decline with bitterness. “There was enough incentive to dig and carve out floors for some time, but the monsters ended up scaring everyone away.”

“That’s right. We had some nasty storms a few months before your arrival, and an ensuing landslide blocked off the path to the mine’s entrance. Marlon begged Mayor Lewis to clear the debris. You came at a fortunate time — or rather, _unfortunate_.” A glint appeared in his eyes. “At least for me.”

You playfully shoved his shoulder, startling Panini from her nap as she blearily blinked up at the commotion. “Anyway,” you emphasized with a tone that brokered no contest. “Pelican Town’s plight is really sad. There are many opportunities here that haven’t been seized yet.” 

“Seems like you’ve been doing a good job of that.” 

“My mind is rolling with ideas. Did you know there is a huge quarry by the mountains? The bridge connected to it got destroyed, but I heard there’s an abundance of resources that are ripe for the picking.” 

Harvey was bent over as he spoke, stroking your dog’s soft belly while she settled down once more. “And I take it you’re working on fixing that bridge?”

You looked down into your lap. “Not quite just yet. I have a new family member to take care of now.” 

He leaned back into his seat and huffed a soft laugh. Your eyes followed his hand as his fingers combed through the side of his head, settling unruly thick strands of hair back into place. “There’s a lot of dog lovers in town, you know. I’m sure if you let Panini loose, she’ll come back home with a full belly and a happy smile.” 

“Not if Leah finds her! She wouldn’t even think twice about hiding my dog away in her shack.”

Laughter, followed by companionable silence. You wondered where the transition had been, to allow you to feel so comfortable in his presence. Maybe the new surroundings had something to do with it. Here, you were just two strangers in Sparrow Town, removed from the hustle and bustle as curious observers, instead of the doctor and novice farmer who were still figuring out life. 

Harvey was the first to speak. “Now that the mine is accessible again, do you think it’ll catch the Governor’s attention?” he solemnly asked, and you furrowed your brows as you struggled to catch his meaning.

“Why do you make it sound so ominous? That might even be a good thing, now that I think about it! Should have brought it up during the luau,” your voice trailed off at the careless mention.

He paused — _please don’t bring it up please please please_ — and mercifully continued with his point. “You said it yourself, didn’t you? An abundance of resources. And where resources lie, the government follows. Especially during such precarious times.”

You sucked in a sharp breath. “Mining metals for the war effort…”

“Exactly.”

“To be honest,” you muttered, rubbing your chin. “I don’t think we’ll be bothered anytime soon. Our home is protected by powerful people. They wouldn’t take too kindly to the government sticking its nose where it doesn’t belong.”

Harvey snorted. “If you’re talking about the wizard…”

“I am! He uses the mine like his personal foraging ground for curiosities. Hence why he fixed my leg — “ You stumbled at Harvey’s unamused glance. “ — s-so I can do the dirty work for him. Oh, don’t look so cross. Rasmodius has been teaching me in return.”

“A farmer who practices witchcraft. Now I’ve seen it all.”

“Not _that_ kind of teaching.” You entertained the possibility of revealing the junimo to Harvey, how you’ve been trying to understand their strange magic and whether it had some sort of connection to your land. “Do you even believe in the supernatural?”

“No.” 

“Wow, not even hesitating to answer.”

“Don’t get me wrong,” he started, leaning his elbows on his knees as he watched two laughing children run by. “Spirituality is a personal choice. And we can’t deny the monsters, of course. But why assume their presence is proof of magic? The museum is littered with historical artifacts that suggest these things have existed for a long time. Maybe it’s just a part of nature.”

“Maybe magic is a part of nature?” 

“Or maybe it is simply science that is misunderstood.”

“Touche’,” you conceded with a smile. “Have you always been such a skeptic?” 

“I suppose.” The corner of his lip curled as he looked upwards, his eyes trailing the airplane painting white streaks through the blue sky. “That kind of stuff never interested me. Now, science? _That’s_ real. That’s observable and incredible and definite. It was always my favorite subject in school.” 

You closed your eyes as you listened, catching the scent of freshly-mown grass permeating the air. Harvey’s preferences were of no surprise to you. A thought crossed your ruminating mind — _no wonder you fell for Maru_ — but you inwardly cringed at the potential awkwardness that would ensue and kept your mouth shut. “Science and medicine go hand in hand,” you said instead, blinking away the phosphenes dancing behind your eyelids. “I can see why you chose that path.”

At that, Harvey let out a weak grunt of laughter. It sounded oddly resigned. “I wanted to be a pilot, actually,” he admitted, turning his head slightly towards you as your eyes widened in surprise.

“A pilot? I never would have thought! What stopped you?” 

“These.“ He tapped at the frames of his glasses. “I’m nearly blind as a bat. Always have been, ever since childhood. And more to the point, I have an irrational fear of heights, among other things…” Harvey shook his head. “It was never going to work out for me. I chose the family legacy instead.” 

A vague image of Harvey playing with toy planes as a child popped up in your head. You had nearly gone down his path, hadn’t you? The boring life of a Jojo Corp. employee had been a careless attempt to find your own destiny. When it became clear that there would be no opportunities for growth, the temptation to take on your parents’ profession had been powerful. You never would have imagined your grandfather’s passing to be the answer to your prayers. 

But not everybody in life had failsafes. You bit your lip at the bittersweet reminder. Harvey’s caring predisposition was as perfect for his job as your tenacity was for yours. He did the best with what he could. Life worked out, somehow. 

“You know…it’s not _so_ bad that things didn’t turn out the way you had planned.” You could feel Harvey looking at you. Was your statement too presumptuous? You scrambled to make sense of what you had said. “If you were a pilot, then you could have been conscripted into the air force.” 

“Ah. Yes, I suppose there is some benefit to poor eyesight and acrophobia. The thought of being a soldier is far more terrifying in comparison.” 

You nodded stiffly. “It’s so easy to forget the war sometimes, isn’t it? We get to live our lives in our peaceful little town, where our biggest worries seem so inconsequential.” 

“There are always reminders lingering around,” Harvey quietly said. “The looming horizon across our sea, the broken bits of mayday calls in the airways, and Jodi, of course…” 

“Her husband will return after this winter is over,” you mentioned, smiling at the thought of their long-awaited reunion. “It’s all Vincent’s been talking about since they found out recently.”

“That is wonderful news! I haven’t seen Kent in quite a while. He’s always kept to himself, but I’m sure he will warm up to you.” 

You grinned. “I’m rather difficult _not_ to get along with!”

“Yes,” he said with a laugh. “If you were able to charm Shane and George, then there is no limit to your power.” 

“Oh, I don’t know about _charming_ them so much as bribing them with food, as I’m wont to do. It’s a wonder what a few leeks can do for a crabby old man.” You turned to Harvey and cupped a hand alongside your mouth to whisper conspiratorially: “Don’t tell George, but I found those leeks up in the mountains. Easy pickings!” 

Harvey looked mildly put out by the admission. “I hope you washed them properly before gifting them — “

“Of _course_ I did, don’t be silly,” you huffed. “In fact, Evelyn herself told me about them when I first moved in. In case I ever, erm…got hungry.” 

You may as well have told Harvey that you were living as a vagabond, with how far his expression fell. A twist of worry knotted up in your chest. You never handled pity from others quite well. “Were you struggling to make ends meet? Are you okay now?”

Ah. Memories of your discrete dumpster diving. You would rather die than reveal those desperate moments to him. “It was a little rough in the beginning due to all the legalities of land ownership and business start up issues, but everything is working out now. You don’t need to worry about me, Harvey.”

“Hm, let’s see,” he muttered, ticking off a finger in his ensuing countdown of all the reasons why he _should_ worry about you. “You constantly overwork yourself, you run headfirst into danger and call it your hobby, you consort with wizards and adventurers…” Harvey straightened his glasses and cast a sharp look. “Am I missing anything?”

You stubbornly folded your arms and quipped back, “I also recently befriended a dwarf in the mines. We don’t understand each other yet, but he hasn’t attacked me like the monsters, so I’m feeling optimistic.”

“A — a what?”

“And what about _you_ , mister,” you brazenly forged on, twisting around to face Harvey as you propped your leg up in front of you. “Don’t act so high and mighty; I’ve been catching on to your habits, too!”

Harvey sputtered at your declaration, face reddening by the second. “I don’t — what are you talking about?”

You smiled and began ticking off some points of your own. “You are woefully reclusive for someone who cares so much about the townsfolk, you shop at Joja Mart — don’t think I haven’t seen you there! — which means you probably have poor eating habits, and you have been worried sick over your finances.” And in a sing-song voice, you finished off with, “Did I miss anything?” 

In hindsight, perhaps you should have been more nuanced with your comeback. It wasn’t exactly the kindest thing to do, to air out his dirty laundry like that. But Harvey, to your relief and amusement, was not one to be cowed into submission. 

He readjusted the frames of his glasses to sit higher along the arch of his nose with the sort of flare that only a well-studied academic could develop after years of proving his merit. You bit back a smile at the challenge. “And what were you doing in Joja Mart? I thought you hated that place.”

“I only go there to visit Shane,” you offhandedly commented, ignorant of the imperceptible shift in Harvey’s frown. “And Pam, too, I suppose. Anyway, don’t try to change the subject! It only further convinces me that I’m right. And I _like_ to be right.” 

“You’re saying that to me? _A doctor?"_

“Well I’m certainly not saying it to Panini.” The darling pooch twitched at the sound of her name. 

Harvey gaped at you like a fish out of water. “I’ll have you know that I’m not a recluse by choice! There’s a lot of work to be done, even though my business is hitting hard times.”

You shook your head, unconvinced by the age-old excuse he loved to give. “To what end, Harvey? I’ve seen you spend entire weekends shut away in your apartment. Even when I find you in the saloon, the one place that is meant for socializing, you are usually sitting away from everyone else.”

“Yoba, I’m not that pathetic, I _do_ talk to Pierre —“ 

“But not anyone else, except for me.” Harvey quieted down in pensive silence. He wouldn’t look at you. “I just think you deserve to feel like you are a part of our town, that loves you as much as you love it." Then, softly: “I worry about you, too, you know."

Your admission threw him off. His hands tightened into fists against the tops of his legs. “I — “ Pent up energy escaped with a drawn-out exhale. “Thank you. I _am_ alright, though. I will be.”

“Those are two different things.” 

“Even so.”

Silence. _You just don’t know how good you could have it,_ you thought to yourself. 

You suspected that deep down, Harvey knew that, too.


	18. Chapter 18

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i want to give you all such a big hug for all the words of encouragement last chapter!! welcome to all my new readers who binged my story and thank you to those who stuck around and are still reading <3 
> 
> who’s ready for a gratuitous chapter where i painstakingly explain how to farm honey? no one? oh well, it was still so fun to write :3 just a quick littler interlude before the real fun begins!

With the Panini affair over and done with, you were finally ready to take a look at the progress of your bee houses. You had left them alone for quite some time as the bees were introduced to their queens and settled in around the large garden you had planted for them. 

The garden was separated by dense bushes to deter the bees from leaving their designated patches, and within each section were blooming summer spangles, sweet peas, sunflowers, and poppies. You segregated the flowers in hopes of experimenting with the flavor of honey that would be produced depending on what plant the bees were exposed to. Demetrius had referred to this as univarietal honey, and warned you that there might be some contamination from far-off flowering plants, since bees travel for miles to find food. 

Oh well, you’d make do with what you had. He had even kindly offered to analyze your finished product to see what kind of pollen inadvertently ends up in the honey to trace the bees’ preferred food source. Who knew there would be so much science involved in honey production? Either way, you were very excited to learn. 

But most of all, you were excited to have Shane lend a helping hand. You caught him red-handed at Pierre’s store and whisked him away to your farm, enduring his disinterested grumbling with a chipper smile as you walked back home. 

“Cry all you want, Shane. I know you secretly like spending time with me.”

“I like mooching off your food,” he shamelessly admitted, earning a laugh from you. 

“We can eat first, if you want. How do pepper poppers sound?”

Shane whistled. “A woman after my own heart.” 

You shoved his shoulder and narrowly avoided his own payback. “Are you looking forward to meeting the sweet dog Marnie brought me?” you asked.

Shane smirked. “So she managed to convince you, I take it.” 

“Yeah, I just couldn’t say no. I took her to the vet with Harvey and asked the office to put up fliers, but she still hasn’t been claimed.”

“Harvey, huh?” 

You rolled your eyes. Leave it to Shane to bring up every last detail. “The vet was a friend of his."

“Riiight,” he drawled. “So what did you name her?”

“Panini.”

He sighed exasperatingly and shook his head, stuffing his hands into his pockets. “Only you.” 

You made a silent promise to make those pepper poppers _extra_ spicy.

-

The joyful meeting of Panini and Shane commenced as soon as you two stepped through your front door. She launched herself full-force into Shane’s welcoming arms, and they proceeded to wrestle for a solid five minutes at the entrance while you went off to prepare lunch. You glanced at the duo every so often, your heart warming at the sound of Shane’s stifled laughter as Panini fulfilled her mission to give as many kisses as possible. Only animals could bring out the best in him, it seemed.

“She’s pretty skinny,” Shane commented, pulling out a chair and settling down at the kitchen table. 

You placed a full plate in front of him, earning you a gruff thanks, and eyed Panini as she laid her head across Shane’s thigh and stared at him sorrowfully. “I bought a lot of food to fatten her up,” you replied, sitting down and taking a bite of your sandwich. “You better not feed her scraps! I don’t want her to learn bad mannerisms.”

“Right, like I’m gonna destroy her stomach with spicy food,” he mumbled as he chewed, rubbing at his eyes and fanning his face. “You really went all out with the peppers today, huh?”

“That’s what you get for always teasing me.”

“Joke’s on you — I’m fuckin’ loving this.” 

“Of course you are, you masochist,” you said with a sigh, yet your creeping smile belied your taunts. “I knew you were the right person for the job today.”

Shane glanced at you bemusedly. “Whatever it is you’re planning, I’m _not_ gonna be your human shield for your bees.”

You giggled. “They’re harmless, you know. We’ll be fine.”

He grunted in answer and spoke with a mouthful of poppers, “Even if they were, I’d still take this over extra hours at the supermarket. Morris wanted me to work on my day off. What an asshole.” 

“Aw, Shane. Is this your way of telling me you enjoy spending time with me?” you teased.

He nearly choked on the poppers, much to your amusement. “Let’s just get this harvest over with already,” he rasped as he wiped his hands clean, and you chuckled at his antics while he stormed outside.

-

Shane was leaning on your front porch railing and staring off towards the nearby pond once you joined him. You rummaged through one of your chests and pulled out a toolbox and smoker for the job, carrying them in hand while pointing to a nearby wheelbarrow for Shane to take as he followed you down a cobblestoned path towards the garden.

“This is going to be so much fun,” you enthusiastically said. “Especially since it’s my first time harvesting honey!”

Shane paused mid stride, and it took you a moment to notice he was several steps behind you, looking at you incredulously. “What do you mean _it’s your first time?_ ”

“Oh, relax. I’ve watched a lot of videos on how to do it. It’s so simple!” 

“Yoba, I never thought I would die from a swarm of angry bees.” 

You huffed and began dragging him along. “This thing I have here,” you lifted the device, “is a smoker. As the name implies, it produces harmless smoke that calms the bees and prevents them from stinging us.”

“Heh, we’re gonna drug the bees?”

“Essentially.” 

“Heh. Stoned bees.” 

The garden was situated between to of the smallest ponds on your property, far enough from your home and farm animals to cause minimal disturbance, and yet close enough to pollinate your crops if they got past the thick shrubs and enjoy the solitude of a large territory. 

Even Shane was impressed, giving a low whistle at commenting on your painstaking layout. You motioned him over to the sunflower patch and made your way to the nearest bee house, an assembly of stacked wooden drawers that contained several rows of hive frames per drawer. Shane cautiously jerked away from the bees as you puffed a few rounds of smoke into the home.

You carefully removed the top cover. “You’re gonna be looking for frames that have this waxy coating all over,” you pointed your finger along the honeycomb structure. “This means that the honey is capped off and ready. If the frame isn’t fully capped off, then you can just put it back.”

“Got it.” 

Each flower patch had two bee houses, which meant at least half an hour of labor. You worked with Shane in companionable silence, enjoying the presence of your friend as the sun blared down over your heads and the capped off frames piled high in your wheelbarrow. 

“You know,” Shane muttered, scratching at his nose, “I heard sunflower honey is really good for you.”

You perked up and glanced at him. “Really? How so?”

“Dunno, something to do with helping blood circulation.”

Now _that_ was interesting. You made a mental note to research your honey’s medicinal properties later. “Wow, Shane! I had no idea you … knew things.” 

He threw you a dirty look. “I _do_ work at a farm.” 

“Last I checked, chickens didn’t make honey.”

“Hey, don’t sass my chickens,” he mumbled, and his hair fell over his eyes as he leaned down to lift the wheelbarrow, rolling it to the next flower patch. “I’m just saying, maybe there’s a certain doctor who would be interested in this stuff.”

Oh, a certain _doctor_ , is it? The last thing you needed was a wingman for a lost cause. “I’ll keep that in mind,” you simply replied, and picked up the pace to bury your mind in bees and honey. 

The bee houses in your poppy field fared the worst, producing only six viable frames for harvesting. Shane pulled out two nearly empty frames by the time he reached the last drawer of the second hive, looking at you in question. 

“We need to leave these frames alone,” you said, and Shane wordlessly slid them back into place. “The bees will need to keep some honey for food. I think we have plenty enough for the first extraction, so let’s go on to the next step."

Shane pulled the wheelbarrow after you as you led him to a nearby shed that contained several high-quality extractors, courtesy of extra funds sent over by your loving parents. The barrel-shaped machines were poised above collection buckets that had a spout at the bottom, from which the honey would flow when you were ready to package it into your custom glass jars. Just the very thought of finally getting to use your jars made you vibrate with excitement. 

“The frames will be placed in this bad boy,” you tapped the metallic exterior of one extractor, “And the centrifugation process will force the honey to the bottom, which will be collected in the bucket. But first, we’ll remove the waxy caps I showed you.”

“This seems surprisingly simple,” Shane commented, watching you dig around the toolbox as you searched for an electric heated knife. 

“I told you — aha!” You pulled out the knife and took out a frame from the summer spangle patch. “The wax is super easy to slough off. Watch this.” The knife took a moment to heat up, and you dragged it from top to bottom along the frame, holding it over a spare bucket to collect the falling wax. You repeated the same process on the other side, and placed the glistening frame into the extractor. 

Shane picked up a discarded cap, inspecting it at all angles and giving it a sniff. “What are we supposed to do with these wax husks?”

“We’ll bring them back to the bees,” you explained. “Let’s be careful not to mix up the caps, since they still have some honey and I don’t want the bees to collect, say, sunflower honey when they’re only meant to create sweet pea honey.” 

“Couldn’t you use them for, I dunno, extra produce? Aren’t there a lot of uses for wax? I heard it’s expensive, too.”

“Sure, but I’d like to refine my honey-making skills first. Plus, I don’t know how my hives will do with their first winter, so I’d rather have the bees fattened up and secure. It’s definitely at the forefront of my plans, though.” 

Shane’s giant hand landed on top of your head, roughly mussing up your hair as you indignantly shrieked and ducked away from the assault. “Always several steps ahead, ain’tcha?” 

“Damn straight,” you mumbled as you smoothed your hair back into place. 

You let Shane work with the knife while you took the completed frames and loaded up the extractor. Once eight frames were secured in the machine, you clamped down the hood and secured a strainer above the collection bucket. The centrifuge spun rapidly for a few minutes while you worked with Shane to finish up the next batch of frames from the sunflower patch, placing them into another extractor. On and on you went, methodically carving off the wax caps and setting up the extractors for the poppy patches and sweet pea patches. Thank goodness you bought several of these machines — it would have been a pain cleaning out the honey between batches if you only had one.

The extractors were all working at full capacity by the time the first machine was done. You popped open the plug at the bottom of an extractor and marveled at the smooth honey that flowed out into the sieve above the collection bucket, noting the random chunks of beeswax that got left behind. 

“Isn’t that amazing?” you whispered in awe. “Look how much honey this produced!”

“I have to admit, this is really growing on me,” Shane said with a smirk, swiping a finger beneath the honey current and popping it into his mouth with a hum. “Tastes fucking delicious.” 

You beamed his words of praise, and he made eye contact with you for a split second before quickly looking away. Undeterred by his aloofness, you busied yourself with emptying out the extractor, and setting aside the full bucket with the strainer still on top. 

“I’ll let the bits of wax on the strainer stay there for a while to get all the honey I can,” you said. “And then I’ll leave the empty wax out for the bees.”

“So should we start bringing back the frames?” Shane asked, lifting one out from the extractor and examining the clean honeycomb lattice left behind. 

“I think so. We can leave the others running for now.” 

And off you went, returning the hive frames to their rightful homes and quickly running away from the frenzy of bees that caught a whiff of honey on your wheelbarrow. It was not the most graceful exit, with Shane dodging the silly bees as though a flock of wasps descended on him, but the hilarious sight would forever be burned into your mind. Worth it. 

Everything was finished off by evening. You locked up the shed and left the sieves atop the buckets, resolving to fill up your honey jars tomorrow morning. 

“Looks like it’s gonna rain tonight,” Shane said as he looked up into the darkened sky, wiping away the sheen of clinging to his forehead. 

“Yeah, no stars in sight,” you remarked, listening to the rustling of wheat swaying in the growing wind.


	19. Chapter 19

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> there is a direct correlation between how much i want to procrastinate from studying and how many chapters i crank out for this fic 
> 
> by the way, let’s assume that the seasons don’t actually last one month in my story, cause lol that’s unrealistic. so the seasons are longer, just like in real life! just felt like mentioning that.

You never knew you could love the rain so much.

In Zuzu City, rain meant unpredictable bus schedules, muddy shoes, and a depressed-looking metropolis that mirrored your abysmal work place.

In Pelican Town, rain meant watered crops, and ample spare time to read about farming techniques or spending longer hours in the mines. Rain meant cozy relaxation by the fire as droplets pitter pattered against your window, and the smell of damp earth and pine leaves reminding you that, _yes,_ this was home. 

But more importantly, rainy days meant visits to the Stardrop Saloon, your most favorite location in the whole community. Nothing made your spirits soar than to sit idly at the bar with a warm drink in hand, listening to the laughter of patrons and cheesy arcade games blaring from the game room. 

And you definitely needed this down-time. Your poor cow was none too happy to spend the day stuffed away in her barn, so you kept her company as long as possible and promised to get her a friend once you had enough funds. Then there was the honey to be taken care of, which took up a considerable amount of your time as you painstakingly filled up your honey jars and hauled most of them off to the shipping bin under a blanket of rainfall. 

You had one last task planned for the day. A bountiful expedition to the mines had yielded all of the precious minerals requested by the golden scroll in the boiler room of the community center, and you were itching to exchange them for another gift from the junimo. Yet the day had been long and arduous, your muscles ached from bottling up honey and making trips to your shipping bin, and all you wanted was to just have an evening of relaxation. 

The warm glow of the saloon beckoned you inside, a safe haven from the inky blue shadows and chilling whispers of raindrops licking at your shins as you trotted towards the building. Gus waved at you in greeting from behind the counter, his welcoming demeanor brightening your mood. You stuffed your soaked umbrella into a bin and sat at your usual seat near the fireplace. 

“What can I get for you, young lady?” Gus asked as he sauntered over to you, wiping down stray droplets of some drink on the counter left over from another patron before you.

_Must have been Shane_ , you thought. This was his favorite spot, too. “Could I get a hot cocoa, please? It’s one of those broody summer nights for me.” 

“Sure thing. Everyone’s sociability is taking a hit from the weather today, it seems,” he remarked, and promptly went off to fulfill your request. 

You sat in silence as you waited, peeking at the other villagers who sought refuge in this cozy abode. Pam’s weary face greeted you from across the bar, giving you a curt nod before staring down into her drink. The deep, droning voices of Clint and Willy reverberated through the quiet tunes of the jukebox, and you were sure you heard Sam and Sebastian in the game room. Emily was running about with other people’s orders, chirping a quick hello to you on the way to the kitchen. 

By all accounts, it was a rather dead scene. Not that you minded, really. Sometimes having to interact with everyone made you feel a little overwhelmed. A small town with large personalities. You huffed a quiet laugh and gratefully accepted your cocoa from Gus. Its sweet, smooth texture sent a wave of relaxation through your overworked bones. You sighed happily and slumped over the drink, closing your eyes and just listening to the music.

The front door chimed with the arrival of a new patron. You were too deep in your solitude to spare a glance, hiding your face behind the mug as you drank your heart away. The warmth radiating from the ceramic reminded you of Mabel’s face whenever you caressed it between the palms of your hands. 

A gentle tapping of shoes against wooden flooring drew nearer to you. You opened one eye to have a look, just in time to catch Harvey settle into the seat right beside you. 

Your heart was _not_ doing little somersaults. 

“I hope this seat isn’t taken,” he said in half-question, offering you a sheepish smile.

You set down your drink as gracefully as you could without seeming too overexcited. “It is now,” you quipped back and immediately cringed at how lame that sounded.

Harvey chuckled, resting his arms in front of him along the counter. Gus appeared in a flash to briefly distract your good friend. You took a private moment to notice how the golden light from the fireplace colored the tips of his hair an amber hue, and how the surrounding dim atmosphere darkened his eyes. 

Yoba, you really needed to stop doing that. 

Gus’s voice drew you out of your reverie. “What’ll it be, Doc?”

“Just a coffee, thanks,” he answered, and the barkeeper walked off with a nod. 

You quirked a brow at Harvey. “Coffee in the evening?”

He shrugged his shoulders and lightly smiled. “I still have a lot of work to do after this.”

Ever the overachiever. You longed to convince him to take it easier, in light of the trip to Sparrow Town revealing just how desperate he was for some sort of change in daily routine. And yet they were both back home now, and back to their old vices. “Me too,” you admitted, reminded of your satchel bag perched against the bar stool on the floor, filled with your treasures for the junimo.

“In this weather? I imagine the crops are all taken care of with the rain. Don’t tell me you still plan on harvesting.”

You shook your head. “No, nothing like that. I’ve had my fill of the farm for today, and I’m dead tired.” 

Your stamina was taking a bit of a hit lately. This little trip was a welcome respite from never-ending chores. 

A flash of electric blue by the taps stirred your thoughts. “Speaking of,” you muttered, and waved to the barista for attention. “Emily, could I trouble you for some baguettes to go? Maybe throw in — ”

“A salad?” she finished with mocking emphasis. “You’re far too predictable, you know.”

You smiled in gratitude as she brought over Harvey's coffee.

“I take it you order from here regularly?” Harvey asked, busing himself with adding milk and sugar to his drink. 

“You bet. Nothing beats a freshly baked loaf of bread and delicious salad. They’re very convenient energy boosters while I’m dozens of floors down into the mines.”

“Energy boosters?”

“Mhm.”

“For the mines.” You nodded your head and took an innocent sip of your cocoa, blinking at Harvey in confusion as he pinched the bridge of his nose. “You’re trying to tell me, that you carry around scraps of food to restore your health in the middle of what is essentially a battlefield, while my clinic sells perfectly appropriate energy tonics and muscle remedies that would do far more for a single paper cut than your meal plan does for your entire exhausted body?” 

Oh.

Truth be hold, you _had_ noticed the medicine behind the glass casing of the front desk during your first trips to the clinic, but the price had immediately motivated you to look for alternative options. Foraged vegetation served you well, and in time, you were able to replace it with Gus’s cooking and some homemade recipes of your own. 

But you could not admit what had deterred you from the tonics. You had to preserve your pride somehow, and you did not want to offend Harvey in any way. Or make him feel guilty.

“I — I forgot,” you lamely explained, and lowered your head to avoid his doctorly look of disappointment. 

Harvey’s lips flattened. “Trust me, the next time I see you, you’re not going to forget.” 

“That sounds ominous.” _And a little enticing._

“Good. Maybe I’ve been too easygoing with you.”

_Not easygoing enough._ Back to the old doctor-patient routine again. Would you ever break free from this barrier and just sit together as friends? 

It seemed you had stayed silent for a little too long. Harvey’s eyes trailed over your inscrutable expression and hesitantly said, “You seem quieter than usual today.” 

Your gaze snapped back to him and your eyebrows shot up at the sudden observation. “I — Really? Sorry about that, I always get like this when it rains.” You focused on the window just beyond Harvey’s head, watching the raindrops patter down against a backdrop of lantern lights. “It reminds me of the city somehow.” 

“Not the happiest reminder, I take it?”

You hummed. “Not quite.” 

“Would you ever go back?” Harvey asked, tracing the rim of his cup with a finger. “To the city, I mean.”

“Never,” you answered with conviction. He looked at you expectantly, waiting for more. “The city has its perks, for sure. I’ve never had to work half as hard as I do at the farm in my entire life. But you know what? I wouldn’t trade it for the world.”

He nodded. “Sometimes the hardest journey is the most rewarding.” 

“It really is,” you agreed, thinking about how far you have come with your farm. 

“I also had lucrative career prospects after finishing medical school.” Your ear twitched — Harvey did not usually talk about himself. "My parents always pushed me to open my own private practice. Pelican Town was certainly not the ideal location for them, though.” He took a sip of his drink and continued, “They think I’m wasting my time here. But I love this little town and all of its residents, no matter how much they can drive me crazy.” He pointedly looked at you. 

You couldn’t resist winking, just to see the him lose his cool and stare fixedly into his cup. “My shenanigans may give you more work, but it’s one of the few times I ever get to see you! So I’d say a sprained ankle is worth it.” 

You thought you saw his cheeks redden, but it was hard to tell in the dim light. “A-anyway,” he muttered, “How have you been since I last saw you? How’s Panini?”

“We’re both well, thank you! I introduced her to my cow; they seem to get along nicely. _And_ I finally created my first round of honey,” you admitted excitedly.

“Hey, congratulations!” Harvey leaned a bit closer, resting his head on his hand. He looked utterly charming in this casual state, the lapels of his coat slightly askew and his hair rumpled with a hint of dishevelment from a long day. “What’s the next step? Do you know where you’ll be selling it?” 

“Since everything is still in small-scale production, I’d like to capitalize on the growing trend of farmer’s markets. It’s incredibly difficult to get shelf space in supermarkets, so I am planning on selling my honey and other produce in mom-and-pop stores, and the rest of the harvest will be exported or sold at local farmer’s markets. In fact, I think Mayor Lewis should consider hosting a marketplace every week. It would bring in a whole lot of foot traffic and make Pelican Town known.” 

“That would be wonderful; we seem to rely on the notoriety of our festivals to attract people, rather than something more substantial.”

You nodded. “It’s nice to see that tourists still have faith in this little town, but we need a long-term goal here. Hopefully with the community center rebuilt one day, we can turn these ideas into reality.” 

“Has the mayor started reconstruction?” 

“Oh, you didn’t know?” Harvey shook his head. “Mayor Lewis gave me free reign with the building. I’ve been —“ _Giving gifts to forest spirits so they can somehow take care of the issue._ “ — saving up my money to commission Robin.”

“That’s … I can’t imagine how expensive that must be. Are you sure you can take on that responsibility?”

You shrugged. “I’ve repaired a few things around the town already. Think of it as me investing in the future of this town, such that my farm will one day reap the benefits.” 

“Lewis should thank the stars for your arrival.”

A small part of you agreed with that sentiment. It still shocked you to think how badly this town needed to be saved from disrepair. But what was most shocking of all, was that it had been allowed to happen. Considering the hidden secrets and magical beings lurking throughout the valley, you wondered whether they had simply been unwilling to help, or _couldn’t_. Perhaps their power was tied to the land, and now that the land was falling apart, so too did the creatures suffer for it. 

You thought about the junimo, how they vehemently prompted you to bring them gifts in exchange for rewards. Of all the people in the valley, they chose you, the long-lost descendant of a man who lovingly cared for this land, to serve as their helper. Maybe the connection between Pelican Town’s current state and the junimo’s struggles was more related to you than you ever imagined. 

“Have you ever noticed anything strange about the community center?” you asked.

Harvey hummed in thought, the corner of his mouth turning upwards. “Not particularly, though I can’t say I’ve been there often enough to form an opinion. It looks rather terrifying, honestly,” he admitted meekly. 

You giggled. “I thought so, too. But it’s actually very peaceful. Magical, almost.”

He quirked a brow at you. “Was that a not-so-subtle hint?”

“… yes,” you admitted, looking down into your mug and watching the rising vapors drift upward like little ghosts. “But if I tell you the truth, you’ll think I’m insane.”

“Considering the kind of people we have in this town, I would be more concerned if you _were_ sane.”

“So you _do_ think I’m crazy.”

Harvey grinned. “You’re the one chasing around slimes, not me."

You turned away with a mock pout. An interesting thought was brewing in your head. “Say, Harvey,” you started, a hint of sneakiness coloring your voice. “What if I told you I could crack your sceptic facade?”

“Oh, really?”

A moment of hesitation crossed your mind. Were you really going to do it? 

Were you going to show the junimo to Harvey? 

What if they refused to appear for him like they had for Mayor Lewis or Abigail? Then you really _would_ look like an insane fool in front of him, and Yoba knew you were on thin ice as it was. 

But the temptation to share your secrets with someone normal for once was growing day by day. Rasmodius was more a mentor than a source of comfort whenever you needed to feel like a regular person again. You were tired of doing everything alone. You needed a friend, someone who understood you and helped you make sense of this strange town. 

And who better than Harvey, the most rational person you knew? 

With your mind made up, you confidently replied, “Yes.” Twisting in your seat, you flashed him a reinvigorated smile, feeling your energy return in full force. “Take a trip with me to the community center and I’ll prove it.” 

“Wh — right now?” Harvey stuttered, looking around as though in search of an answer. “But it’s raining and dark and — and who knows what we’ll find there at this hour! It could be dangerous, for all we know.”

Emily was finally approaching with your order, all stuffed away in a brown paper bag. You had to convince him quickly before he scampered off back to his office. “Oh, come on, nothing dangerous wanders into town. It’ll be worth your while, I promise!”

“I don’t know … I really should get back to my work …”

Your expression turned neutral. You turned up your nose and accepted the bag from Emily, fishing out some money from your pocket to pay off your bill. “Suit yourself. I guess I’ll have to go there by myself, since I needed to head over there anyway.” 

“What could you possibly need to do there?” he asked incredulously, eyeing you nervously as you slid off of your bar stool to pick up the strap of your satchel bag. 

“Lots of things,” you simply replied, sliding the strap over your shoulder. “Very interesting and exciting things. None of which you’ll get to see, since you’re so intent on being a stick in the mud today!”

You knew you won as soon as Harvey started sputtering, his face turning red from the challenge. “Well, I’m certainly not going to let you go alone,” he snapped back. “Let me pay for my coffee and we’ll go see what these ‘interesting and exciting things’ are all about.” 

You watched his incensed figure briskly hunt down Gus and smiled to yourself, hoping that the junimo would humor your whimsical demands just this once.


	20. Chapter 20

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> once again, i am left blown away by everyone's encouragement! thank you so much for reading, each comment and kudos and hit motivates me to keep writing <3

As Harvey trudged alongside you in the pouring rain, he wondered to himself whether he had finally lost his mind. Either that, or you were simply bringing out a side of him he did not know he had.

What was he, some sort of vagabond, scouring the decrepit halls of an abandoned building in search of adventure? Was that your idea of fun? 

Judging by your eager expression, it probably was. 

He gripped the paper bag filled with your food closer to his chest, hoping that the pressure would relieve the pounding in his heart. It was a little pathetic to get this worked up, he supposed. You had braved that community center many times and came back unharmed, so why should tonight be any different? 

“What —“ He cleared his throat, “What can we expect to find there?” 

You bit your lip in thought before answering carefully. “I’m just warning you that what you’re about to hear will sound utterly insane, but I’d like you to trust me on this, okay? No matter what, just trust me.” 

“I … okay.” Then, with more conviction, he said once more, “Okay. I’ll trust you.” 

“Good.” They were passing his clinic and making their way up through the short hill that led towards the water fountain. Not a creature stirred during the downpour, and the chirping crickets were silenced by the rain. Harvey remained quiet all the while, deducing that you might need some time to gather your thoughts. Finally, you spoke up. “There are strange things that happen in this town without anyone knowing. Sometimes you might stumble upon something — if you know where to look. I don’t know how to explain it beyond whatever Rasmodius tells me, but I can’t deny what I’ve seen.”

The community center loomed in the distance, its dark mahogany exterior blending into the shadows of the night. If there were ever a place for strange things to happen, it would certainly be there. 

“On my very first visit to the center, I stumbled upon — or rather, I was _found_ by — little creatures shaped like … like apples. They call themselves the junimo, and they told me they were the keepers of the forest. Bear with me, because I _know_ how this all sounds. For some reason, they chose me to help them with tasks. They use their magic to help me whenever I bring them whatever they request. So that’s the mission tonight.” You patted your rucksack. “To bring some minerals that they needed from the mines.” 

You finished your explanation just as the two of you arrived at the front door of the building. Harvey eyed the vines snaking along the brittle walls, eating away at the decaying wood and leaving gaps for the rain to sneak through. He turned to you with as much of a neutral expression as he could muster, momentarily amused by how steeply you had to angle your umbrella to meet his gaze. “I don’t really know how to react to that,” he admitted truthfully. “Are you sure you want to do this?"

You remained undeterred by his skepticism — not that he thought he could ever break your determination at this point. “I’m not doing this just for fun anymore. I brought you with me to show you proof, or … or maybe, I don’t know … I need someone to confirm that this isn’t all some sort of mind game being played on me. I don’t _think_ it is, but you’re the only person I can trust to help me.” 

The unfiltered honesty with which you said that made his chest ache in an unfamiliar way. Many people have had to place their trust in him as a medical practitioner. In a way, your request felt similar in that respect, a plea to determine your sanity, or at the very least to be there as a source of comfort. And yet it all felt so different, so personal. He was not sure how to feel about that. The lines of professionalism were starting to blur, and he did not — 

_Of course I know what to do,_ Harvey stubbornly thought, squaring his shoulders and chasing away his doubts as he had done countless times before, when he was still a medical student doing his rotations and had to endure unpleasant patients or gruesome procedures. 

He was not the bravest man by any means, but when it came to dependability, he liked to think that was his shining quality. 

Harvey nodded firmly and gestured towards the doorway. Your trepidation morphed into a relieved smile, and you reached into your pocket to pull out a key. 

“I’m surprised Mayor Lewis gave you such unrestricted access,” he commented as the door swung open with a loud creek, revealing total darkness interspersed with beams of moonlight shining through the broken roof. 

You dug into your rucksack and pulled out a flashlight. “I think he saw me as the community center’s last hope. He had plans to sell the land to Joja Corp. so it could be turned into a warehouse. Maybe he thought I could turn this place around.” 

The howling wind was picking up, beckoning him inside as the rain soaked the back of his suit. He quickly dove into dry safety and closed the door behind him, placing his umbrella beside yours by the entryway. You had already made your way further inside, avoiding the broken floorboards and shrubs that had grown out of the exposed ground. Harvey blinked as his eyes readjusted to the engulfing darkness, unnerved by the silence drowning out the mayhem outside. 

Your flashlight momentarily illuminated an odd structure in a far off corner of the building. It looked like a small hut made from piles of evenly placed stones and topped with leaves.

As Harvey followed you towards a hallway, he narrowed his eyes at the hut, its prone form glowing eerily from the moonbeams breaking through a nearby window. Belatedly, he noticed a small opening in the structure. 

The longer he stared at the hut, the more uneasy he felt. 

Like someone was watching him.

The hair at the nape of his neck stood on end. And when a faint gust of wind puffed against the exposed skin of his collar, Harvey joined you by your side immediately in a panicked daze, grabbing onto your forearm to bring you to a halt.

You looked at him questioningly, and then at the tight grip holding you in place. “Everything okay?” 

“I — I feel like this is a bad idea,” he blurted out. “Do we really know that nothing lives here? No wild animals, or bears?”

“Well, the junimo live here,” you calmly replied, angling your flashlight back onto the hut. “That’s their home.”

Harvey sucked in a quivering breath. “Why haven’t we seen them yet? Surely they would come out to greet you, if you’ve been here many times.” 

You merely shrugged. “They’re strange little creatures. Sometimes they only come out after I give them what they want. Now, come on,” you carefully dislodged his hand from your forearm, tugging him along with a reassuring smile. “We need to get to the boiler room.”

You innocently continued onward, blissfully unaware of the thoughts whirling in his head. You were holding his hand. _His_ hand, linked with your much smaller and slightly rough palms — no doubt from handling farming tools — and the new sensation nearly made him forget his current concerns entirely if not for the fact that your fingers slipped away and he was left bereaved of their warmth. 

He tightened his hand into a fist and brought it to his side. 

An old bulletin board captured his attention, and he quickly read the dates to get a sense of how long the building had been inoperable. Further on ahead was a pitch black room; he could not see further inside beyond the hazy glow of the flashlight as you passed by. The sound of something scuttling about deep within that room had him on high alert all over again.

But nothing prepared him for the dark descent into what you had referred to as the boiler room.

“Don’t tell me _that’s_ where you plan to go,” he shakily asked, standing rooted to the spot at the entryway while you paused halfway down the staircase.

You looked up at him and beckoned with a wave. “It’s really not that scary once you’re down here! Come on, let’s get this over with so I can finally show you the junimo.”

_Let’s get this over with, she says._ Harvey took a cautionary step onto the first plank, testing his weight on the old wood. It creeped and bent under his weight, yet held firm as he made his descent. 

By the time he reached the bottom, you had rounded a corner into the main room. Old pipes lining the walls groaned and shook from years of misuse, setting up a perfect eerie atmosphere that threatened to send Harvey running home. 

And for the first time since he’d stepped into this building, a concerning thought slithered into his frazzled mind. A very, _very_ concerning thought.

He was about to be completely alone with a tool-wielding, able-bodied person who may or may not be experiencing some sort of visual hallucinations. Perhaps stress-induced psychosis? Was it really safe for him to put himself in such a dangerous position, where he was completely defenseless and blind in the dark?

Your head popped up from the corner, your gentle face illuminated by light as you shone a path for him. “Sorry, didn’t mean to leave you alone over there!” 

Guilt gripped his pounding heart. How could he think that way about you? 

Harvey meekly made his way over to you and offered a weak smile to appease your worries. Satisfied by his progress, you smiled up at him before taking out a wrapped bundle from your rucksack and kneeling down in the center of the room. He stood beside you and looked down at your ministrations, puzzled by a lone book laying on the floor, its pages seemingly illuminated all on their own. 

“This book appears in different rooms throughout the community center,” you explained, placing your flashlight beside you as you tugged on the knot of the bundle. “Each book has a list of items that the junimo want me to bring. Whenever I manage to gather everything together, I bring them here for the junimo to take away. They take the stuff back to their hut. It’s really cute, how they lift such heavy things over their heads,” you finished with a giggle. 

He bent down to look at the text. 

It was … completely indecipherable. “I’ve never seen a language like this.”

“Oh!” You trailed your fingers along the glyphs. “Right. You won’t be able to read it. Not even I could understand it, until I became one with the forest.” 

Harvey glanced at you. 

“I did tell you to trust me, didn’t I?” 

He bit back a retort. Everything was starting to fall into place. There was a reliable psychiatrist he could call on your behalf once this was all over.

You carefully examined each item stuffed within the cloth of the bundle, mumbling to yourself as you mentally ticked off the minerals listed in the book. “Seems to be everything,” you said, and tied up the ends of the bundle to place it onto the open book. 

You waited. And waited. 

Harvey took a cursory look at his watch. They had waited for two minutes. 

“I … I don’t understand,” you hesitantly whispered, staring intently towards the stairwell. “They don’t usually take this long to appear.”

You stood up and patted off dust from your pants. Harvey followed suit and prepared to follow you, but you slipped the flashlight into his hand and said, “I’ll go check the hut; maybe they’re just shy around you. Wait here, okay? I’ll only be gone a moment.” 

His eyes widened. “A-alone? _Here_?”

“Only for a moment!” you apologetically attempted to appease him.

Gone you were in an instant, your rapid footsteps echoing through the room until they were a distant sound like any other in this horrible building.

Harvey gripped the flashlight to him like a lifeline and stood frozen in place. _The less attention I draw to myself, the better —_

Something scurried behind him. 

He spun around and shone the light towards the source of the noise. “Wh-who’s there?” he loudly whispered, and yet nothing was there. Not even a rat. 

He forced his beating heart to calm down, letting out a long sigh as he glanced at the bundle on the floor. 

Another scuffle behind him, this time louder than before. _Closer._

A gentle gust of air blew past the nape of his neck, just like it had done so when he passed by the hut. 

And once more, Harvey felt like he was being watched.

All he could hear by now was the sound of blood rushing in his ears. Yoba, where were you? 

No. This was just his mind playing tricks on him. It was common knowledge that being in the dark for prolonged periods of time warped one’s perceptions of reality. In fact, you were probably returning right this moment, perhaps even playing a mean-spirited prank on him by hiding and making that noise.

Harvey scoffed at the notion and turned. “You really got me there, you —“

Something was there now. 

A round, green blob lay inconspicuously on the floor. 

He shined the flashlight at it, and — 

And the thing _jumped_ and _squeaked_ — 

A loud scream tore itself from Harvey’s throat before he could make sense of what was happening. He back-peddled away from the creature as it bounced closer towards him, and suddenly the sole of his foot hit something, something that _also squeaked_ and chirped loudly at him, and he looked down in panic and _it was another creature_ holding the bundle over its head and staring up at him in indignation, and he was well and truly fucked. 

“Stay away!” he shakily yelled, pointing the flashlight in front of him like a gun as he stepped backwards until his back mercifully hit the wall. He gripped the paper bag of food closer to him in a bid to keep it from falling out of his trembling arms. The creature holding onto the bundle blinked at him and slowly made off with its prize, paying him no further attention.

The same could not be said for the first blob he encountered. It hopped and swayed and tweeted strange little sounds as it drew closer to him, and before he knew it, three more creatures materialized out of the nooks and crannies of the boiler room, and headed straight for him. 

His legs gave out from under him, and your paper bag slipped out of his hold to land beside him. Harvey slid down the wall and curled his legs towards his chest, swearing to high heaven that he would never leave the comfort of his clinic ever again. 

In the midst of his breakdown, the thunderous sound of your running footsteps drew nearer and nearer, bolting down the staircase as you called out his name. 

“Harvey —“ You rounded the corner, _oh thank Yoba —_ “Are you alright?!” 

You skidded to a halt before you could run into the creature carrying the bundle. It chirped and spun around once in what appeared to be a happy dance, and quickly walked past you towards the stairs. You stared at the creature until it disappeared from sight, and looked back at him.

It was at this very moment that Harvey realized how utterly ridiculous he looked. 

“Don’t you dare laugh,” he hissed. “And please help me! They — these _things_ are getting close to me!”

You blinked at him in stupefied shock, and he nearly lost his cool before you silently padded over towards him and — 

— Yoba, you picked one up! 

“Harvey,” you gently said his name, with the same tone a mother might take with her fearful child, “These are the junimo! And they’re less dangerous than marshmallows.” 

All of his adrenaline melted away with his dignity. You carefully stepped over the junimo and grabbed hold of the bag of food toppled on its side. You sat down beside him and placed the bag out of sight while cradling a red junimo in your hand as you cooed at it. 

“That wasn’t very nice of you,” you said to the creature, and then to the others gathered around him. “Don’t scare my friend like that, or you might not get any more bundles from me.” 

The junimo chirped a low tune in unison and backed away. Only one dared to step towards him, a blue little blob that peered at him beside his hip, as though questioning him on whether it was allowed any closer. 

“So these are the creatures you told me about,” Harvey whispered in wonder, and slowly reached out with a shaky hand towards the blue junimo. 

Sensing his change of heart, the creature bounced and rested its weight against the palm of his hand. He scooped it up and held it in his lap, noting the little antenna sticking out of its head. Its skin felt smooth and cold, just like an apple. 

“These are them,” you confirmed, lightly throwing your junimo up into the air and catching it as it chirped a peel of giggles in delight. “Welcome to my world, Harvey. Any professional opinion on my mental state?”

He peered at you with a withered look. “I think after the fright I had, I might be the one in need of a professional opinion.”

“I’m so sorry about that. They’re just afraid of trespassers, that’s all. This is their only home, and they are still very weak from the magic slowly disappearing from the community center.” You cradled the junimo to your chest. “That’s why I’m helping them. I said a bit of a white lie to you before. I’m not the one who will rebuild the center — _they_ will, once I’ve completed all of their tasks.”

Harvey only half-listened to your explanation, because as interesting as all of that sounded, he had literal magical beings surrounding him, like teasing reminders of the hidden secrets still left undiscovered by the modern world. “Is that why nobody has ever seen them before?” he asked. “Because they purposefully hide?” 

You nodded and lowered your legs for the other junimo to scuttle up your knees. “Cute, right?” You giggled, petting the creatures as they bounced along your legs. 

As Harvey trailed his gaze over the curves and dips of your body wherever the junimo had settled in, he found himself rather … distracted from his initial curiosity. 

Your shoulder was pressed up against his, so close that your hands might have touched if not for him holding a junimo. His height gave him a lovely vantage point to discretely look at your face as you smiled down at the junimo, and what a smile it was, all gentle and warm and reserved just for them. 

Why hadn’t he ever noticed how tender your smiles were? Perhaps he had, whenever you succumbed to Panini’s kisses during the trip to Pelican Town. 

His heart stammered in his chest, and this time, it was not from fear. “Yes,” he quietly answered, watching the glow of the flashlight reflect in your eyes. 

Suddenly, the junimo in his hold hopped up onto your head. “Oh!” you exclaimed, and your eyes met his in merriment. Harvey felt his cheeks burn in embarrassment at having been caught, but you were none the wiser. 

You were completely unafraid. It was amazing, really, how unfazed you were by the most sensibly terrifying things. “Do you encounter …” he struggled to find the right word and gestured towards the junimo. “ — _this_ often? All of this magic and — and Yoba knows what …”

“Yes!” You beamed at him, looking both charming and ridiculous with the junimo still perched on your head. “I see a bunch of strange things on a daily basis. And it’s certainly helped me build up a fair amount of courage. Although …” You chuckled and poked him. “The same can’t be said for you, eh? Scary little beasts, aren’t they?”

“I told you not to laugh,” he grumbled, looking away as he rubbed the spot where you prodded him. And yet, the corner of his lip curled upward despite himself. 

You bumped against his shoulder and remained there, resting your weight against him. He couldn’t bring himself to move away. “Lucky for you, nobody else knows about the junimo. I tried to get Abigail to come here once, but she never got to see them. So even if I wanted to use your overdramatic reaction as blackmail, no one would believe me.” 

“Lucky me indeed,” he huffed. 

Yet your words weighed on him. Could he ever become as fearless as you?

His limbs ached from the aftereffects of the adrenaline rush. Yoba, he was very out of shape if this brief moment of panic tired him out so swiftly. 

_I suppose I’ll have to work on that,_ he surmised. If only to catch up to your youthful might. 

And perhaps, to not look like such an utter wimp around you …


End file.
